Vermillion Announces Notice of Allowance for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Patent www.uspto.gov United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

The USPTO: Who We Are

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the Federal agency for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks. In doing this, the USPTO fulfills the mandate of Article I, Section 8, Clause 8, of the Constitution that the Executive branch "promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries." The USPTO registers trademarks based on the Commerce Clause of the Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3). Under this system of protection, American industry has flourished. New products have been invented, new uses for old ones discovered, and employment opportunities created for millions of Americans. The strength and vitality of the U.S. economy depends directly on effective mechanisms that protect new ideas and investments in innovation and creativity. The continued demand for patents and trademarks underscores the ingenuity of American inventors and entrepreneurs. The USPTO is at the cutting edge of the Nation's technological progress and achievement.

The USPTO advises the President of the United States, the Secretary of Commerce, and U.S. Government agencies on intellectual property (IP) policy, protection, and enforcement; and promotes the stronger and more effective IP protection around the world. The USPTO furthers effective IP protection for U.S. innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide by working with other agencies to secure strong IP provisions in free trade and other international agreements. It also provides training, education, and capacity building programs designed to foster respect for IP and encourage the development of strong IP enforcement regimes by U.S. trading partners.

• The USPTO Main Campus
• National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum
• Tours of USPTO

The USPTO Main Campus

The USPTO headquarters occupies five interconnected buildings located at 600 Dulany St, Alexandria, Virginia. The office employs more than 8,900 employees-including engineers, scientists, attorneys, analysts, computer specialists-all dedicated to protecting U.S. Intellectual Property rights.

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National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum

The National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum located on the USPTO Alexandria, Virginia campus, is open to the public. Established in 1995, the National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum strives to educate the public about the patent and trademark systems, and the important role intellectual property protection plays in our nation's social and economic health. The Museum is open Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. (except for federal holidays). More

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Tours of USPTO

School and group tours are welcome at the museum. Tours of USPTO are offered Mondays from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Please contact Kenzie Snowden in the Office of Public Affairs, 571-272-8400, at least two weeks ahead of time to schedule a tour.

Vermillion Announces Notice of Allowance for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Patent

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 1, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Vermillion, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRML), a molecular diagnostics company, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a notice of allowance for a patent entitled "Biomarkers for Peripheral Artery Disease." The patent claims cover the biomarker alpha1beta glycoprotein and biomarker combinations that include alpha1beta glycoprotein for the diagnosis of PAD.

"This will be our third patent for biomarkers that can be used for the diagnosis of PAD and represents a critical asset for Vermillion. Expanding our intellectual property portfolio helps protect the potential significant value of our PAD program as we progress our clinical studies," said Gail S. Page, CEO of Vermillion.

About Vermillion:

Vermillion, Inc. is dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel high-value diagnostic tests that help physicians diagnose, treat and improve outcomes for patients. Vermillion, along with its prestigious scientific collaborators, has diagnostic programs in oncology, hematology, cardiology and women's health. Additional information about Vermillion can be found on the Web at www.vermillion.com.

Forward-Looking Statement:

Certain matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve significant risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding Vermillion's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. These forward-looking statements are based on Vermillion's current expectations. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for such forward-looking statements. In order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, Vermillion notes that a variety of factors could cause actual results and experience to differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to materially differ include but are not limited to: (1) uncertainty as to Vermillion's ability to protect and promote its proprietary technology; (2) Vermillion's lack of a lengthy track record successfully developing and commercializing diagnostic products; (3) uncertainty as to whether Vermillion will be able to obtain any required regulatory approval of its future diagnostic products; (4) uncertainty of the size of market for its existing diagnostic tests or future diagnostic products, including the risk that its products will not be competitive with products offered by other companies, or that users will not be entitled to receive adequate reimbursement for its products from third party payors such as private insurance companies and government insurance plans; (5) uncertainty that Vermillion will successfully license or otherwise successfully partner with third parties to commercialize its future products; (6) uncertainty whether the trading in Vermillion's stock will become significantly less liquid; and (7) other factors that might be described from time to time in Vermillion's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of this report, and Vermillion expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in Vermillion's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless required by law.

This release should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. Copies are available through the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (EDGAR) at