Hamburg, Munich, Menlo Park, November 13, 2006. Earlybird announces the successful floatation of Munich based Wilex AG at Frankfurt Stock Exchange’s Prime Standard at an issue price of € 13.80.

WILEX is a biopharmaceutical company based in Munich, which was founded in 1997 by a team of physicians and oncologists from the Technical University of Munich The Company will use the proceeds from the IPO primarily to finance the further development of its drug and medical product candidates. WILEX focuses on the development of new cancer therapies based on antibodies and small molecules. The therapeutic objective of WILEX is to develop products that prevent the growth, spread and metastasis of malignant tumours in the body and/or help to destroy the tumours. Four substances are currently in the clinical development stage. Following approval, the various drug candidates could be used to treat a variety of indications such as renal, breast, ovarian, gastric, pancreatic and intestinal cancer. The Company’s lead drug candidate, the antibody WX-G250 (development name RENCAREX®), is currently being tested in an international Phase III regulatory approval trial for the treatment of patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell cancer without detectable metastases after complete or partial removal of the affected kidney. The medical product candidate CA9-SCAN shall be used as an imaging diagnosis product in planning the surgical therapy of patients with suspected renal cell carcinoma.

Earlybird has been an investor in the company since series A1 in March 1999 when Earlybird introduced Sven Warnaar to Olaf Wilhelm. Sven Warnaar joined the company and Wilex subsequently in-licensed the Rencarex (G250) project. Sven Warnaar started working with the Antibody G250 in 1987 at the University of Leiden (Netherlands). Earlybird continues to be invested in Wilex.

Wilex is the newest of six successful IPOs out of the Earlybird portfolio at four different European stock exchanges:

Sept 2005: Interhyp AG, Prime Standard Frankfurt Exchange: IYP
Sept 2005: Esmertec AG, Swiss Exchange: ESMN
Oct 2005: Tipp 24 AG, Prime Standard Frankfurt Exchange: TIM
April 2006: Entelos Inc., London Stock Exchange: ENTL
May 2006: Noemalife SpA, Borsa Italiana, Milan: NOE.MIN
Nov 2006: Wilex AG, Prime Standard Frankfurt Exchange: WL6


About Earlybird:
Earlybird with offices in Germany (Hamburg and Munich) and the U.S. (Menlo Park, California) invests primarily in early stage companies, in Europe and the US, within the Software/IT, Communications and Healthcare industries, as well as in the area of Convergent Technologies. The company was established in 1997 and currently has approximately US$ 300 million of capital under management. Earlybird identifies companies that are capable of global success in their respective industries while utilizing the best worldwide resources to do so. Most Earlybird companies are active in areas of technology where Europe plays a leading role and at the same time offers investors better initial valuations than in the U.S. Many of Earlybird’s portfolio companies have established subsidiaries across the Atlantic and in Asia. In some cases, company headquarters have relocated to the U.S. to take advantage of market locale, entrepreneurial leadership talent, expansion, and exit opportunities.

In addition to their financial competence, Earlybird’s partners and staff possess extensive operating and management experience, enabling them to provide comprehensive support for their portfolio companies. A network of experienced industry specialists serves on Earlybird´s advisory board and assists Earlybird and its portfolio companies in providing strategic advice and operational support.


For further information, please contact:
Earlybird
Daniela von Wedel
vonwedel@earlybird.com
Van-der-Smissen-Str. 3
22767 Hamburg
Tel.: +49-40-4329 41-0
Fax: +49-40-4329 41-29
www.earlybird.com

Please note:
This document constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation to buy securities of WILEX AG. The securities have already been sold.
This document is not an offer to buy securities in the United States of America. Securities may only be sold or offered for purchase in the United States of America with prior registration subject to the provisions of the US Securities Act 1933 in the currently-valid version, or in the absence of prior registration, only on the basis of an exception. Shares in WILEX AG are not and will not be registered pursuant to the provisions of the US Securities Act 1933 in the currently-valid version, and will neither be sold nor offered for purchase in the United States of America. The information contained in this document is not intended to be passed on into the USA or within the USA.
This document is directed at and/or for distribution in the U. K. only to (i) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities falling within article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons being together referred to as “relevant persons”). This document is directed only at relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.


  www.wilex.com