Nanosphere Awarded U.S. Patent for Nanoparticle Imaging System and Method

Broadens Nanosphere's Strong Portfolio of Molecular Diagnostics Technologies for Enabling Earlier, More Accurate Detection of Disease

NORTHBROOK, Ill.—December 11, 2006—Nanosphere, Inc., a nanotechnology-based molecular diagnostics company, today announced that it has been awarded United States Patent 7,110,585 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The patent applies to a device and method for imaging metallic nanoparticles within a compact desktop system—technology essential to Nanosphere's Verigene® System for ultra-sensitive molecular diagnostics. Nanosphere now holds 43 U.S. patents and has more than 100 applications pending.

"We are committed not only to expanding our portfolio of intellectual property for molecular diagnostics, but to translating these technologies into medical and biosafety tests that will dramatically improve early disease and pathogen detection," commented William Moffitt, CEO of Nanosphere. "We are preparing for the commercial launch of the Verigene^® System in the first
half of 2007—an advance we believe will fundamentally alter the way molecular diagnostic testing is performed and improve its accessibility outside of large, expensive testing centers."

The technology covered by the new patent undergirds Nanosphere's Verigene^® System, which is designed to allow earlier detection and treatment of disease than is commonly available today. The unmatched sensitivity of Nanosphere's technology can lead to earlier detection of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease and the development of new diagnostic tests for conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

Nanosphere has been broadly recognized for the depth and quality of its intellectual property portfolio. Last year, consulting firm 1790 Analytics ranked Nanosphere's intellectual property portfolio second in the nanotechnology industry, behind only Hewlett-Packard. This year, Lux Research, a market intelligence and advisory firm focused on nanotechnology and the physical sciences, recognized Nanosphere as the nanotechnology start-up with the best scientific pipeline. To arrive at the ranking, Lux Research considered Nanosphere's contributions to academic research, intellectual property portfolio and quality of product in comparison to products from 135 other companies.

About Nanosphere, Inc.
Nanosphere is redefining molecular diagnostics with a nanotechnology-based platform that will enable earlier detection and treatment of disease. The company's ultra-sensitive protein detection and direct genomic testing technologies permit the development of new biomarkers and measurement of existing biomarkers at concentrations undetectable by today's diagnostic technologies. The Verigene^® System's simplicity, ease of use and low cost allow customers to perform molecular diagnostic testing in virtually any setting. Nanosphere is privately held and based in Northbrook, Ill. Additional information is available at www.nanosphere.us.