Released on = September 19, 2006, 4:59 am

Press Release Author = Milestones for GENFIT

Industry = Biotech

Press Release Summary = GENFIT, the biopharmaceutical company engaged in the
discovery and development of medical candidates in the areas of cardiovascular,
inflammatory and metabolic diseases, today announced the entry into Phase I clinical
trials of GFT505, the company's proprietary molecule for the simultaneous treatment
of several risk factors of cardiometabolic disease.

Press Release Body = Lille (France), Cambridge (Massachusetts), 19th September 2006
- GENFIT, the biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of
medical candidates in the areas of cardiovascular, inflammatory and metabolic
diseases, today announced the entry into Phase I clinical trials of GFT505, the
company's proprietary molecule for the simultaneous treatment of several risk
factors of cardiometabolic disease.

The mechanism of action of GFT505, a multimodal, pluripotent compound, acts on the
molecular level by activating PPAR "Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors"
nuclear receptors, which play a central role in the regulation of lipid metabolism
and the control of glycemia. With a completely original profile (Pan-sPPARm,
selective PPAR modulator, with a preferential action on the PPAR alpha family), and
evaluated by Genfit's proprietary SNuRM technology platform, GFT505 targets a wide
range of indications: mixed dyslipidemia (by raising levels of HDL- cholesterol and
reducing those of triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol), type II diabetes (by
controlling glycemia with an action on the energy metabolism of diabetic patients),
and atherosclerosis (by reducing atheroma patches).

During preclinical tests, GFT505 demonstrated an extremely high margin of security
and excellent absorption, whilst no significant unwanted side effect was observed,
even at doses thirty to a hundred times higher than the active pharmacological dose.






The first Phase I clinical trial, the patients for which were recruited during the
summer, aims to show that GFT505 is innocuous in healthy volunteers. The results of
the Phase I trial are expected in the first half of 2007.

Dean Hum, Vice President and CSO, underlined, "During the International Symposium on
Atherosclerosis in Rome in June this year, Genfit presented its strategy for the
selection and modulation of nuclear receptors as therapeutic targets, a subject of
enormous interest to leading international specialists in cardiovascular and
metabolic diseases. GFT505 clearly subscribes to this approach and illustrates our
capacity to select and develop multimodal molecules. GFT505 was developed to
optimise the safety/efficiency ratio. The molecule finally emerged with an original
profile demonstrating an optimal action on several risk factors of cardiometabolic
illness.

Jean-François Mouney, Chairman and CEO, declared, "We are delighted that GFT505 has
reached this new important stage in its development. This very promising molecule
may provide an answer to huge medical needs, as yet unsatisfied by the hypolipemics
and anti-diabetics already on the market or in development. GFT505 looks likely to
initiate a pharmacological revolution in the prevention and treatment of
cardiometabolic disease, which covers a series of disorders. We are confident that
this program, in conjunction with other projects being developed in parallel on
other therapeutic targets, will progress quickly in the next twelve months. With
GFT14, which entered into Phase II clinical trials last May, GENFIT is pursuing its
strategy of discovering pluripotent medicines destined to curb the pandemic of type
II diabetes and associated cardiovascular risks."

About GENFIT

The emerging biopharmaceutical company, GENFIT studies gene deregulation, which is
at the origin of some of the most wide-spread diseases. The GENFIT group identifies
new therapeutic targets and develops drug candidates. The company\'s most advanced
programs, conducted internally or in partnership with industry leaders such as
SANOFI - AVENTIS, PIERRE FABRE, FOURNIER, MERCK AG, KOWA and SERVIER, concentrate on
the treatment of key metabolic and inflammatory disorders. GENFIT's proprietary
drugs focus on global cardiovascular risk by treating several pathologies, such as
atherosclerosis, diabetes and obesity, simultaneously with a single molecule.
Founded and managed by Professor Jean-Charles FRUCHART and Mr. Jean-François MOUNEY,
the company is headquartered in Lille with facilities in Cambridge (USA). The
company currently employs 120 people, including 90 scientists (www.genfit.com)




Web Site = http://www.genfit.com

Contact Details = Contacts
GENFIT:
Jean-François MOUNEY, Chairman and CEO
Kate PORTER, Corporate Communications Manager
Phone : +33 (0) 3 20 16 40 11
Phone : +33 (0) 3 20 16 40 79

MILESTONES - Press Relations:
Bruno ARABIAN
Phone : +33 (0) 1 70 08 04 13
Phone : +33 (0) 6 87 88 47 26