(Fort Worth, TX, USA) --- H. Paul Dorman, Chairman and CEO of DFB Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has announced the recipients of two inaugural DFB Research and Development awards---the DFB R&D Achievement Award and the DFB R&D Horizon Award. The honors were bestowed at a ceremony at The City Club of Fort Worth, Texas, on Tuesday evening, November 8, 2005.

        Lei Shi, Ph.D., received the DFB Research and Development Achievement Award to recognize a significant role with notable innovation and creativity in the development of a new product or technology that has advanced the company’s success.

        Michael Lowenborg received the DFB Research and Development Horizon Award for scientific contribution or leadership beyond what would typically be expected for someone at an early stage in a professional career.

        Headquartered in Fort Worth, DFB is a privately held Texas corporation that provides technology-driven pharmaceutical products, outsourcing services, and licensing opportunities through its affiliate partners to the healthcare industry worldwide.

        In attendance were DFB leaders Mr. Dorman; John W. Feik, DFB President and COO; Martin Robson, M.D., Chairman of the companies’ Medical Advisory Board, along with scientists, colleagues, and executives from DFB affiliates HEALTHPOINT, Ltd. (Fort Worth, TX and Peterborough, Ontario, Canada); Coria Laboratories, Ltd. (Fort Worth, TX); DPT Laboratories, Ltd. (San Antonio, TX) and DPT Laboratories, Inc. (Lakewood, NJ); Phyton Biotech, Inc. (Princeton, NJ and Ahrensburg, Germany) and DFB Bioscience (Lausanne, Switzerland).

        Dr. Braham Shroot, DFB Chief Scientific Officer, presented the awards. In presenting these awards, Dr. Shroot recalled the exceptional growth of scientific talent within DFB. In addition, he noted that the construction of three new research centers emphasizes the importance that the corporation attaches to innovation.

        Dr. Lei Shi is leader of the Cell Biology and Biochemistry Team at DFB Central Research. Dr. Shi developed release tests for Panafil® and Accuzyme®, as well as a novel in vitro eschar model for debridement presented at the Wound Healing Society meeting in Atlanta, GA, in 2004 and now a standard testing method within DPT and DFB Central Research, among many other notable accomplishments. Dr. Shi received his B.S. in biophysics from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and earned his Ph.D. in protein behavior in biomaterials from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. He is a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

        Michael Lowenborg is a Senior Scientist with DPT Labs. Mr. Lowenborg has been instrumental in the development and formulation of a number of dermatology products now commercialized by Coria Laboratories, all in under two years with the company. He earned his B.S. in biology from Long Island University’s Southampton College in 1997 and is a candidate for a Master of Science degree in Biology from the C.W. Post division of the same institution.

        Three special R&D award recipients were also honored at the event. They were:

        • Larry Anderson, Senior Scientific Advisor to HEALTHPOINT ’s Applied Research group, for his contribution to the growth and development of the DFB family of companies through 32 years of notable work and key input to late-stage development products.

        • David Jones, Senior Scientific Advisor to DFB Central Research, for his active involvement in the launch of over 250 products for DFB affiliates, recognized for development of key technologies behind many new product launches for HEALTHPOINT and Coria Laboratories and for his work as the principal inventor or co-inventor on six patents protecting $100 million in product value.

        • Venkatesh Srinivasan, Ph.D., Director of Business Development for Phyton Biotech, Inc. Among his contributions, Dr. Srinivasan developed an ingenious approach to complex research and development challenges enabling the commercialization and success of Phyton’s cell culture-based production of paclitaxel, the active ingredient in Bristol-Myers-Squibb’s anti-cancer drug, Taxol®.

        “These outstanding scientists are invaluable to our company. Their collective achievements are remarkable,” said Mr. Dorman, “and each individual is emblematic of the finest efforts in our field and of the crucial work underway that supports DFB’s aggressive strategic plan.”

        DFB Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately held Texas corporation that provides technology-driven pharmaceutical products, outsourcing services, and licensing opportunities through its affiliate partners to the healthcare industry worldwide. DFB affiliates include HEALTHPOINT, active in the research, development, and marketing of branded pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter drugs, and biotech drugs for tissue management and surgical indications since 1992; Coria Laboratories, focusing in dermatology and treatments of diseases that affect the skin, hair, and nails; DPT Laboratories, Ltd., a leading outsourcing service organization that develops and manufactures semi-solids, liquids, nasal spray, aerosol foam and complex delivery forms for the pharmaceutical industry; Phyton Biotech, Inc., whose proprietary plant cell culture technology platform is used to develop and manufacture products with applications in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, with a German subsidiary, Phyton GmbH, that operates the world’s largest commercial cGMP manufacturing facility for plant cell fermentation; and DFB Bioscience, focusing on cell based therapeutic research and development.

        DFB currently has nearly 1,700 employees worldwide. DFB is on the web at www.dfb.com.

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