Spherix to Present Newest Work on Lipoproteins and Atheromas at Pittcon, the World's Largest Annual Expo for Laboratory Science

BETHESDA, Md., March 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Spherix Incorporated (NASDAQ: SPEX) – an innovator in biotechnology for therapy in diabetes, metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis, and providers of technical and regulatory consulting services to food, supplement, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies – announces that Dr. Robert Lodder, Company President, will be making two presentations at the Pittcon Conference to be held March 11-15 in Orlando, FL, at the Orlando Convention Center.  Dr. Lodder's presentations discuss two of Spherix's pipeline products and potential indications for use in treating heart disease, dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome.  They are:

• March 12, 2012 – "Molecular Factor Computing (MFC) of the Extent of Atherosclerosis in D‑Tagatose Treatment," in Room 308D at 3:35 p.m.
• March 15, 2012 – "Measurement of Lipoproteins in Treatment with SPX-106," in Room 308C at 10:15 a.m.

MFC uses new high speed integrated computational imaging (ICI) techniques to simplify trials and measure arterial characteristics like reduction in atherosclerotic lesion area with D-tagatose administration quickly and accurately.  Other blood vessel anomalies like abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), which is often correlated to atherosclerosis, can also be quickly identified and measured.  In genetically engineered mice, substitution of tagatose in the diet for sucrose significantly reduced lesion area (p<0.001) in mice over a 16-week study.  MFC of macrophage activity and collagen content was also conducted (see Figure 1).

Lipoprotein measurements conducted using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC), enzymatic methods, near-infrared and infrared spectrometry show statistically significant reductions (p<0.05) in VLDL, LDL and HDL when SPX106 is administered over 8 weeks with D-tagatose.  LDL and oxLDL are correlated to expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), an endogenous inhibitor of MMPs, in human vascular endothelial cells.

The slide presentations will be posted next week in the Events section of the Spherix website at http://www.spherix.com/investors_events.html.  "Spherix has a history of visibility within the scientific community, and we are looking forward to presenting more information regarding the mechanisms of action in both D-tagatose and SPX-106," said Dr. Claire Kruger, Chief Executive Officer of Spherix.  "As we learn more about SPX-106, and in particular its combination with D-tagatose, we become increasingly enthusiastic about its potential as a treatment for hyperlipidemia and its complications."

About Pittcon
Pittcon, held annually, is the world's premier Conference and Exposition on laboratory science.  It is organized by The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, a Pennsylvania not-for-profit educational corporation comprised of the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) and the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP).

Pittcon attracts more than 17,000 attendees from industry, academia and government from 90 countries, and is managed by a committee of volunteers and an 11-person staff.  Proceeds from Pittcon fund science education and outreach at all levels, kindergarten through adult.

Pittcon donates more than $1 million a year to provide financial and administrative support for various science outreach activities including science equipment grants, research grants, scholarships and internships for students, awards to teachers and professors, and grants to public science centers, libraries and museums.

About Spherix
Spherix Incorporated was launched in 1967 as a scientific research company under the name Biospherics Research.  The Company now leverages its scientific and technical expertise and experience through its two subsidiaries – Biospherics Incorporated and Spherix Consulting, Inc.  Biospherics is dedicated to developing and licensing/marketing proprietary therapeutic products for treatment of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and atherosclerosis.  Biospherics is actively seeking a pharmaceutical partner to continue the development of its Phase 3 compound for the treatment of diabetes, D-tagatose, while exploring new drugs and combinations for treatment of high triglycerides, a risk factor for atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and stroke.  Spherix's Consulting subsidiary provides scientific and strategic support for suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers of conventional foods, biotechnology-derived foods, medical foods, infant formulas, food ingredients, dietary supplements, food contact substances, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer products and industrial chemicals and pesticides.  For more information, please visit www.spherix.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Investors are cautioned that such statements in this release, including statements relating to planned clinical study design, regulatory and business strategies, plans and objectives of management and growth opportunities for existing or proposed products, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements.  The risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks that product candidates may fail in the clinic or may not be successfully marketed or manufactured, we may lack financial resources to complete development of our products, the FDA may interpret the results of studies differently than us, competing products may be more successful, demand for new pharmaceutical products may decrease, the biopharmaceutical industry may experience negative market trends, our continuing efforts to develop products may be unsuccessful, our common stock could be delisted from the Nasdaq Capital Market, and other risks and challenges detailed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this release.  We undertake no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

SOURCE Spherix Incorporated