NeuroSearch initiates clinical Phase I study with ACR343 as a potential new treatment for Parkinson's disease

Announcement                                                                    





NeuroSearch initiates clinical Phase I study with ACR343 as a potential new     
treatment for Parkinson's disease                                               

NeuroSearch has enrolled and dosed the first healthy volunteers in a clinical   
Phase I study with ACR343 with a view to develop this drug candidate as a new   
treatment for Parkinson's disease. The Phase I study is a randomized,           
double-blind and placebo-controlled single ascending dose study to evaluate the 
safety and tolerability as well as the pharmacokinetic profile of ACR343 after  
oral administration. The study will be performed in Sweden.                     

Flemming Pedersen, CEO of NeuroSearch, commented:                               
“ACR343 is the third drug candidate to be brought into the clinic as a result of
our activities in the promising field of dopaminergic stabilizers, where        
NeuroSearch has a leading position. This achievement further highlights the very
satisfactory and value enhancing development seen in the pipeline programmes, we
took over with the acquisition of Carlsson Research (now NeuroSearch Sweden) in 
October 2006.”                                                                  

Dopaminergic stabilizers are a novel class of CNS (Central Nervous System)      
active compounds that can both enhance and counteract dopaminergic effects in   
the brain depending on the initial level of dopaminergic activity. Dopamine is  
an important neurotransmitter in the brain, and the dopaminergic system plays a 
central role in the regulation of motor function and behaviour. Thus,           
dopaminergic stabilisers have the ability to stabilise motor and behavioural    
disturbances caused by neurological and psychiatric disorders. They do this in  
pathological states without compromising normal brain functions.                

In preclinical studies, ACR343 has been able to stabilise motor function in a   
variety of models for CNS disorders. In a specific model for Parkinson's        
disease, ACR343 reduces involuntary movements resulting from treatment with     
L-Dopa without compromising its anti-parkinsonian effects. This validates the   
use of ACR343 in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. NeuroSearch holds all    
rights to ACR343.                                                               

Attaining this milestone of first human dosing with ACR343 triggers a payment of
SEK 75 million (DKK 59 million/EUR 8 million) to the former shareholders of     
Carlsson Research AB.  The milestone payment must be made no later than 30 days 
after this announcement either in cash or in new NeuroSearch shares, issued at  
market value. NeuroSearch has not yet decided whether to pay in cash or by      
delivery of shares.                                                             

The initiation of the Phase I study with ACR343 and the related milestone       
payment do not change NeuroSearch's financial guidance for 2007 of a loss in the
range of DKK 230 - 250 million before recognition of associates and other equity
interests.                                                                      



Asger Aamund                                                                    
Chairman of the Board                                                           


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Contact persons:Phone: Flemming Pedersen, CEO+45 4460 8214 or +45 2148 0118Hanne
Leth Hillman, Vice President, Director of Investor Relations & Corporate        
Communications+45 4460 8212 or +45 4017 5103                                    


NeuroSearch (NEUR) is a Scandinavian biopharmaceutical company listed on the OMX
Nordic Exchange Copenhagen A/S. The company's core business covers the          
development of novel drugs, based on a broad and well-established drug discovery
platform focusing on ion channels and CNS disorders. A substantial part of the  
activities are partner financed through a broad alliance with GlaxoSmithKline   
(GSK) and collaborations with among others Abbott and Astellas. The drug        
pipeline comprises 12 clinical (Phase I-III) development programmes: ACR16 in   
Huntington's disease (Phase III in preparation), tesofensine in obesity (Phase  
III in preparation), NS2359 in depression (Phase II) and ADHD (Phase II) in     
partnership with GSK, NS1209 in epilepsy and pain (Phase II), ABT-894 in ADHD   
(Phase II) and pain (Phase II) in partnership with Abbott, ACR16 in             
schizophrenia (Phase I) in partnership with Astellas, ACR325 in bipolar disorder
and Parkinson's disease (Phase I) ABT-107 as well as ABT-560 for the treatment  
of various CNS diseases - both (Phase I) in collaboration with Abbott, NSD-644  
(Phase I) in collaboration with GSK and ACR343 in Parkinson's disease (Phase I).
In addition, NeuroSearch has a broad portfolio of preclinical drug candidates   
and holds equity interests in several biotech companies.