AMRI Promotes Two Key Technical Leaders.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Albany Molecular Research, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMRI) today announced the promotions of two key personnel.

David A. Hunt, Ph.D. has been promoted to director, analytical quality services. In his new position, Dr. Hunt will be responsible for overseeing the company's analytical quality services department, which provides analytical support to cGMP manufacturing projects, including analytical method development, quality control, and related functions. Dr. Hunt joined AMRI's chemical development department as a section head in January 2001 and was quickly promoted to assistant director in 2002, followed by a promotion to assistant director, project management in 2003.

With over 25 years of related industry experience, Dr. Hunt has a long and successful track record designing, synthesizing, and developing novel compounds with biological activity. Prior to joining AMRI, he was a senior group leader in chemical development at Catalytica Pharmaceuticals, where he evaluated and designed chemical synthesis routes for manufacturing early phase active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates, developed a novel process, and oversaw the development of pharmaceutical candidates from process research at the bench to the pilot plant and into small scale manufacture.

From 1989 to 1999, Dr. Hunt worked in the agricultural research division at American Cyanamid Company, rising to the position of senior group leader in the chemical discovery department, insect control synthesis section. His accomplishments there include leadership of a research group that developed a lead compound isolated from a fermentation broth to a synthetic analog now in commercial production. His group also provided several other compounds placed into development. In addition, he served as a consultant to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. Within a two-year period, Dr. Hunt synthesized five analogs that were advanced to field trial status. Prior to his stint at American Cyanamid, he served as technical manager of chemical R&D/custom synthesis at Solvay America, Salsbury Laboratories, where he developed two commercial processes. Prior to that, as a senior research chemist at PPG Industries, Dr. Hunt was responsible for the discovery and development of three new classes of herbicidal compounds. At Becton Dickinson Research Center from 1981 to 1984, he designed and synthesized compounds for use as antigens for immunoassay and other immunological studies. His experience there also encompassed drug bioconjugate preparation, steroid chemistry, peptide synthesis, protein linker chemistry, and lipid chemistry. He began his career in 1979 as a senior chemist at Union Carbide Technical Center, where he designed two novel processes to potential insecticides.

In addition to his industry experience, Dr. Hunt has also held several academic positions, including roles as a visiting assistant professor in chemistry at East Carolina University, and as an adjunct professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Stevens Institute of Technology. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the New York Academy of Sciences, the International Society of Heterocyclic Chemistry, and Sigma Xi, and has been a primary reviewer for several scientific journals, including Organic Preparations and Procedures International, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, and Pesticide Science. He obtained his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Duke University, as well as an M.Sc. in organic chemistry and a B.Sc. in chemistry, both from Marshall University. Dr. Hunt has more than 100 issued U.S. and international patents, as well as several publications.

Kevin M. Flensted has been promoted to director, manufacturing operations. In his new role, Mr. Flensted will oversee all commercial manufacturing operations of active pharmaceutical ingredients, controlled substances and intermediates at AMRI's wholly owned subsidiary, Organichem Corporation. In addition, he will take on additional oversight responsibility for Organichem's pilot plant operations and high potency production suites.

Mr. Flensted joined Organichem in 1996 as a production supervisor and was promoted to technical supervisor in 1997. In 2000, he was promoted to production manager of APIs and controlled substances. Early in 2004, his responsibilities were expanded to include all commercial manufacturing operations, including maintaining production schedules and coordinating with engineering, quality assurance, quality control and other groups within Organichem.

During his tenure with the company, Mr. Flensted has made significant contributions on a number of customer projects, including the successful scale-up of several processes. In addition to his role at Organichem, he is a Certified Fire Inspector, Certified Fire Protection Specialist, New York State Certified Fire Instructor and New York State Emergency Medical Technician. He serves as a volunteer fireman and a hazmat technician in Rensselaer County.

Mr. Flensted holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering and a master's degree in management, both from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

"We are very pleased to announce the promotions of Kevin and David, and congratulate them as they move forward in their careers at AMRI," said Kenton Shultis, vice president and general manager of AMRI's Organichem subsidiary. "Both have proven themselves as highly capable managers and key leaders in AMRI's manufacturing and analytical operations, respectively. We look forward to their continued contributions."

Albany Molecular Research, Inc. is a leading research, drug discovery, development and manufacturing company built on a chemistry platform of comprehensive and integrated technologies, resources and capabilities. The company conducts research and development with many leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and for its own internal discovery programs, and provides cGMP manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients through its wholly owned subsidiary, Organichem Corporation.