DARA BioSciences, Inc. Expands Its Patent Portfolio


RALEIGH, N.C., June 25, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DARA BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:DARA) announced that as of June 11, 2009 it has gained the allowance and grant of an additional 10 patents to its portfolio (9 granted and 1 allowed) over the past 18 months. The territories involved are the United States, Europe, the Russian Federation, India, Australia, Indonesia and Japan. The European patent was registered in 26 European countries. The expiration dates range from 2018 to 2023 with the majority expiring in 2022. The new patents are related to our lead drug candidates in the fields of diabetes and pain.

With the addition of these ten patents, the DARA portfolio presently has rights to 70 patents and 59 patent applications worldwide.

"A strong intellectual property position is a key element to accomplishing our business objectives and increasing shareholder value," said Richard A. Franco the Company's President.

About DARA BioSciences, Inc.

DARA BioSciences(tm), Inc. ("DARA") is a Raleigh, North Carolina based development-stage pharmaceutical company that acquires promising therapeutic small molecules and develops them through proof of concept in humans for subsequent sale or out-licensing to larger pharmaceutical companies. Presently DARA has two drug candidates with cleared IND's (Investigational New Drug) Applications from the US FDA. One of these drug candidates KRN5500 has successfully completed a Phase 2a clinical trial treating cancer patients for neuropathic pain. It has a portfolio of drug candidates for neuropathic pain, type 2 diabetes, and psoriasis. For more information please contact the Company at 919-872-5578 or visit our web site at http://www.darabio.com.

All statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended. Such forward-looking statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially for DARA from those projected. Those factors include risks and uncertainties relating to DARA's current cash position and its need to raise additional capital in the near term in order to be able to continue to fund its operations, risks and uncertainties regarding DARA's ability to raise additional capital, risks and uncertainties relating to DARA's ability to develop and bring new products to market as anticipated, the current regulatory environment in which the company develops and sells its products, the market acceptance of those products, dependence on partners, successful performance under collaborative and other commercial agreements, competition, the strength of DARA's intellectual property, the intellectual property of others, and other risk factors identified in the documents DARA has filed, or will file, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of DARA's filings with the SEC may be obtained from the SEC Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. DARA expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in DARA's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based. DARA BioSciences and the DARA logo are trademarks of DARA BioSciences, Inc.



            

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