Anika Therapeutics Announces Addition of Vice President of Business Development.

WOBURN, Mass. -- Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANIK) today announced the appointment of Peter Litman, J.D., to the position of vice president of business development. E[acute accent]"Strengthening and enhancing Anika's management team is a key component of our strategic efforts," said Charles Sherwood, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer. "With his extensive and accomplished background in the medical device industry, Peter provides the company with deep business experience which should prove invaluable in our plans going forward." E[acute accent]Litman, 54, brings to Anika nearly three decades of legal and developmental experience in the medical device sector. He joins the company from Smith & Nephew, where he served as vice president of corporate development for the endoscopy division. As a member of that organization's executive committee, Litman was responsible for strategic planning, technology assessment, acquisitions, licensing, risk management and divestitures. Previously Litman served as managing director of Collapeutics, LLC, a developmental-stage medical device company he co-founded. From 1990 to 2000, Litman held a variety of positions at Summit Technology, a NASDAQ-listed medical device company that was eventually acquired by Alcon Labs in 2000 for approximately $1 billion. Prior to the acquisition, Litman served as Summit's executive vice president of corporate development where he oversaw company acquisitions and divestitures. Litman earned his Juris Doctor from Columbia University and his Bachelor of Arts in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania.

E[acute accent]About Anika Therapeutics, Inc.

E[acute accent]Headquartered in Woburn, Mass., Anika Therapeutics, Inc. (www.anikatherapeutics.com) develops, manufactures and commercializes therapeutic products and devices intended to promote the repair, protection and healing of bone, cartilage and soft tissue. These products are based on hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring, biocompatible polymer found throughout the body. Anika products include OrthoVisc(R), a treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee available internationally and marketed in the U.S. by DePuy Mitek and Ortho Biotech Products, L.P., and Hyvisc(R), a treatment for equine osteoarthritis marketed in the U.S. by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. Anika manufactures Amvisc(TM) and Amvisc Plus(TM), HA viscoelastic products for ophthalmic surgery. It also produces STAARVISC(TM)-II, which is distributed by STAAR Surgical Company and Shellgel(TM) for Cytosol Ophthalmics, Inc.

E[acute accent]The statements made in this press release which are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, statements that may be identified by words such as "expectations," "remains," "focus," "expected," "prospective," "expanding," "building," "continue," "progress," "efforts," "hope," "believe," "objectives," "opportunities," "will," "seek," "should," and other expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events and trends and which do not constitute historical matters identify forward-looking statements. The Company's actual results could differ materially from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements described in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors including the Company's ability to successfully commence and/or complete clinical trials of its products on a timely basis or at all, obtain clinical data to support a pre-market approval application and/or FDA approval, and/or receive FDA or other regulatory approvals of its products, or that such approvals will not be obtained in a timely manner or without the need for additional clinical trials. Even if regulatory approvals are obtained, there is a risk that meaningful sales of the products may not be achieved. Certain other factors that might cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth under the headings "Business," "Risk Factors and Certain Factors Affecting Future Operating Results" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in each of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2005, as well as those described in the Company's other press releases and SEC filings.