Benitec Biopharma Limited

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) provided an update today on progress with the substantial Benitec intellectual property (IP) portfolio. This update is in addition to the recent update on the continuing separate Patent Reexamination of the '099 (Graham) patent in the USA.

The Directors of Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) are delighted to announce that Dr Peter French will be joining the Benitec team as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), initially on a part time basis. Dr French will commence this role on 3 August 2009 and will report to the Chief Executive Officer Sue MacLeman.

The Directors of Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) provide the following update on the US patent Ex Parte reexamination on the Graham '099 patent (90/007,247). On 22 May 2009, a Notice of Appeal was filed with the USPTO. As part of the appeal process, an Appeal Brief was filed yesterday in response to the Examiner's final rejection in the Final Office action dated 26 November 2008.

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China based Biomics Biotechnologies Co. Ltd. The companies will collaborate on a DNA directed or vector expressed RNAi for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

The Directors of Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) provide the following update on the US patent re-examination of the '099 Graham patent. CSIRO filed an appeal with the USPTO Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences on 22 May against the two remaining obviousness rejections. CSIRO appealed the decision of the Examiner mailed 26 November 2008, rejecting reexamined claims 4 to 7 and 10 to 28 in connection with the merged ex parte reexamination.

Leading developer of RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) announced today that Dr John Zaia had presented an update on City of Hope's HIV human stem cell study at an international conference in San Diego, USA.

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) is pleased to announce that the US Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") has recently withdrawn its novelty objection to Benitec's seminal RNAi interference US patent 6,573,099, often referred to as the "Graham" patent. This patent has been undergoing re-examination as outlined in previous announcements.

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) provide the following update on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent re-examination of the '099 Graham patent.

Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) today announced that it had advised CSIRO that it does not wish to proceed at this time to restructure their commercial arrangements.

Leading developer of RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapeutics Benitec Limited (ASX:BLT)(PINK:BNIKF) announced today that there had been unprecedented interest in the update on the City of Hope HIV trial recently presented in the USA.