Anadys Awarded German BMBF Grant for Hepatitis C; Grant to Fund Work On Research for Novel Drugs Using Anadys' Expertise in Riboproteomics.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

BIOWIRE2K

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Anadys") announced today that its German subsidiary, Anadys Pharmaceuticals Europe GmbH, has been awarded a 3-year BMBF grant entitled "Characterization of the HCV translation initiation complex." BMBF is the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany. In cooperation with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory ("EMBL"), the Max-Planck-Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Gottingen, and the University of Gottingen, Anadys will apply functional Riboproteomics(TM) to identify novel human proteins that are involved in HCV translation initiation.

The grant will be used to fund research to identify human and viral proteins that are essential for Hepatitis C viral protein expression and then to find small molecule inhibitors of these proteins. The project will bring together technologies from a variety of top-tier institutions. The Max-Planck-Institute will contribute through the biochemical and electron cryomicroscopic analysis of large RNA-protein complexes and its RNAi technology, the University of Gottingen will provide support in structural biology, the EMBL will supply its capabilities in mass spectrometry, and Anadys will contribute its expertise in Riboproteomics(TM).

"We are very pleased to receive this peer-reviewed recognition of our approach for finding novel therapeutic targets and drug candidates that combat Hepatitis C virus infection," said Silke Schumacher, Ph.D, Managing Director of Anadys Pharmaceuticals Europe GmbH. "Anadys will have the opportunity to contribute our expertise in Riboproteomics(TM) and drug discovery to the collaboration. We are very excited to combine our efforts with such an outstanding group of institutions and investigators to explore new strategies to fight Hepatitis C."

"This grant award demonstrates Anadys' strong commitment to and recognized excellence in Riboproteomics(TM)," said Steve Worland, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Anadys. "This novel RNA-based approach to Hepatitis C is just one example of how we are using our Riboproteomics(TM) expertise to discover new targets and novel antiviral and antibacterial therapeutics."

Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops novel small molecule therapeutics to combat bacterial and viral infections. The Company unites world-class experts and research technologies in biology and chemistry from target identification through clinical trials. The Company has the ability to pursue traditional protein targets as well as underexploited targets including RNA and proteins of unknown function. Anadys intends to harness its powerful research and development engine to propel a continual pipeline of novel drug candidates into the clinic on its own and through corporate partnerships.

For more information, please visit www.anadyspharma.com.