SCIONA LAUNCHES CELLF™ GENETIC ASSESSMENTS IN PHARMACA INTEGRATIVE PHARMACY

Integrative Pharmacy Stores Now in 6 Western U.S. Markets

New Genetic Assessments Enable Consumers To Obtain Genetically-Personalized Health and Nutritional Recommendations.

BOULDER, CO, September 8, 2005 - - Sciona, Inc. today announced the expansion of its regional test markets for the first genetic assessment to be sold directly to consumers through retail pharmacies. Cellf™ Genetic Assessments are now available to consumers in Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy's ten stores in five states and through Pharmaca's mail order service at 1-866-892-6330. The Cellf Assessment provides consumers with personalized health and nutritional recommendations based on an individual's diet, lifestyle and unique genetic profile. Sciona introduced its Cellf Genetic Assessments in Minneapolis in August and will continue to expand its test markets into additional retail markets in 2005.

For the first time, individuals can collect a sample of their DNA using a simple cheek swab and complete a diet and lifestyle questionnaire at home. After doing so, they can receive a personalized and confidential nutrition and health assessment based on their genetic profile that they can review with their pharmacist, lead practitioner or other qualified healthcare professional in the pharmacy. The five individual kits include: Antioxidant/Detoxification Assessment; Bone Health Assessment; Heart Health Assessment; Inflammation Assessment; and Insulin Resistance Assessment.
"Pharmaca was founded on the notion that consumers can and should take a proactive, not simply a reactive approach to managing their health," says Barry Perzow, Pharmaca president, chairman and CEO. "Our decision to carry the Cellf Genetic Assessment product line is based on this philosophy and our commitment to bringing innovative, scientifically-credible health management tools to our customers."

Nutrigenetic testing has a strong appeal worldwide and Sciona has sold over 10,000 genetic assessments direct to consumers and healthcare professionals in North America, Europe and Asia. Feedback from consumers and practitioners alike has been extremely positive to this innovative way of adapting diet and lifestyle based on an individual's genetic profile. Based on this response, Sciona made the decision to introduce the Cellf Assessment into retail pharmacies in the U.S.

Nutrigenetics refers to the interaction between genes, diet and lifestyle. Individuals often inherit genes which put them at higher risk of negative health conditions. Since an individual's genetic makeup is fixed at birth, a person may be able to alter diet or lifestyle to significantly reduce the risk of developing certain common health conditions including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This is the core concept behind nutrigenetics.

Nutrigenetic testing identifies genetic variations which indicate an individual's risk for developing specific health conditions and enables an individual to alter his/her diet and lifestyle to achieve his/her optimal health potential. Sciona's genetic tests analyze an individual's DNA, diet, lifestyle and nutritional supplementation using a proprietary software program to generate a confidential and highly personalized report filled with valuable information and an Action Plan that may help an individual to manage his/her potential risk of negative health - all based on the individual's own DNA.

About Sciona
Sciona is a privately held, international company that provides personalized health and nutrition recommendations based on an individual's diet, lifestyle and unique genetic profile. The Company has created a powerful set of tools that enable consumers to harness the scientific information uncovered in the Human Genome Project. Sciona is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with offices in Europe, and research facilities on the Yale University campus.

About Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy
Pharmaca, founded in June 2000 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, operates pharmacies that combine prescription drug and over-the-counter products with natural, complementary and personal body care products. The Company operates eleven pharmacies in Boulder (2) and Denver, Colorado; Berkeley, Mill Valley, Pacific Palisades, Sonoma and San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Seattle, Washington. Including this financing, the Company has raised over $40 million in equity, bank and supplier financing. www.pharmaca.com

Contact:
Julie Lunn
Fresh Ideas Group
303-449-2108 x 10
julie@freshideasgroup.com