Marina Biotech Provides Update on its Broad Nucleic Acid-Based Drug Discovery Platform and 2012 Goals

Marina Biotech, Inc. will provide an update on its nucleic acid-based drug discovery platform and 2012 goals at Biotech Showcase 2012 on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time (2:30 p.m. Pacific Time) at the Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco in San Francisco.

"In 2011, I believe we established ourselves as the company with the broadest and most comprehensive nucleic acid-based therapeutics drug discovery platform in the industry," stated J. Michael French, President and CEO of Marina Biotech.

French continued, "The company's broad platform includes an array of unique nucleic acid constructs, chemistries and delivery technologies that offer the diversity and innovation needed to drug historically undruggable targets through a variety of mechanisms of action including RNAi, mRNA translational inhibition, and steric blocking. This capability permits us to identify multiple, distinct therapeutic approaches allowing our partners to be focused on the target not the technology."

Mr. French continued, "In the last quarter alone, we brought in over $1.5 MM of non-dilutive capital from partnerships and licensing agreements. In 2011, I believe we were the only company to complete two deals in two distinct oligonucleotide therapeutic areas: RNAi and microRNA. In addition, we are the only company with two different technologies in clinical development pursuing two different oligonucleotide therapeutic approaches: RNAi and DNAi. Our goals in 2012 are very straightforward, continue to broaden our drug discovery platform through licenses and partnerships and advance our preclinical and clinical programs. I am encouraged by not only our own progress but that of the entire sector and believe that 2012 will be an important year for Marina Biotech as well as the nucleic acid-based therapeutics field."

In 2011, the Company established one of the industry's broadest nucleic acid-based drug discovery platforms:

• Two technologies partnered/licensed in two different oligonucleotide therapeutic areas: UsiRNA™ in DiLA2™ liposomal delivery via local administration and microRNA mimics in SMARTICLES® liposomal delivery via systemic administration

• Two technologies in clinical development: shRNA delivered via a bacterial vector (tkRNAi™) in the treatment of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis and a single-stranded DNAi via SMARTICLES in the treatment of solid tumors

Marina Biotech's 2012 Goals include:

• Continued pursuit of strategic transactions including preclinical and clinical nucleic acid-based programs, additional delivery technologies and microRNA intellectual property

• Licensing of proprietary Unlocked Nucleobase Analog (UNA™) and Conformationally Restricted Nucleotide (CRN™) chemistries in the human, veterinary and agricultural fields as well as reagent and diagnostic areas

• Licensing of proprietary delivery technologies, including SMARTICLES, for the delivery of double and single-stranded nucleic acids

• Completing the Dose Escalating portion of the START-FAP Clinical Trial

• Establishing pharma collaboration(s) around multiple targets and therapeutic indications