Arena Pharmaceuticals to Report Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 Financial Results and to Host Conference Call and Webcast on Thursday, March 12, 2009.

SAN DIEGO, March 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced it will report fourth quarter and full year 2008 financial results after the NASDAQ Global Market closes on Thursday, March 12, 2009. That same afternoon, Jack Lief, Arena's President and Chief Executive Officer, and Robert E. Hoffman, Arena's Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (2:00 p.m. Pacific Time) to discuss the financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2008 and to provide a financial update.

The conference call may be accessed by dialing 877.741.4240 for domestic callers and 719.325.4753 for international callers. Please specify to the operator that you would like to join the "Arena Pharmaceuticals Fourth Quarter 2008 Earnings Call." The conference call will be webcast live under the investor relations section of Arena's website at http://www.arenapharm.com/, and will be archived there for 30 days following the call. Please connect to Arena's website several minutes prior to the start of the broadcast to ensure adequate time for any software download that may be necessary.

About Arena Pharmaceuticals

Arena is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing oral drugs in four major therapeutic areas: cardiovascular, central nervous system, inflammatory and metabolic diseases. Arena's most advanced drug candidate, lorcaserin, is being investigated in a Phase 3 clinical trial program for the treatment of obesity. Arena's broad pipeline of novel compounds target G protein-coupled receptors, an important class of validated drug targets, and includes compounds being evaluated independently and with partners, including Merck & Co., Inc. and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Arena Pharmaceuticals(R) and Arena(R) are registered service marks of the company. "APD" is an abbreviation for Arena Pharmaceuticals Development.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include statements about Arena's strategy, internal and partnered programs, and ability to develop compounds and commercialize drugs. For such statements, Arena claims the protection of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual events or results may differ materially from Arena's expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, clinical trials and studies may not proceed at the time or in the manner Arena expects or at all, the results of clinical trials or preclinical studies may not be predictive of future results, Arena's ability to receive regulatory approval for its drug candidates, Arena's ability to partner lorcaserin or other of its compounds or programs, the timing, success and cost of Arena's research, out-licensing endeavors and clinical trials, Arena's ability to obtain additional financing, Arena's ability to obtain and defend its patents and the timing and receipt of payments and fees, if any, from Arena's collaborators. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by Arena's forward-looking statements are disclosed in Arena's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent Arena's judgment as of the time of this release. Arena disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as may be required under applicable law.

  Contacts:  Jack Lief                                  Mary Claire Duch
             President and CEO                          WeissComm Partners
                                                        Media Relations
             David Walsey                               212.301.7228
             Senior Director, Corporate Communications

             Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
             858.453.7200, ext. 1682

CONTACT: Jack Lief, President and CEO, or David Walsey, Senior Director of Corporate Communications, both of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc., [phone], ext. 1682; or Mary Claire Duch, Media Relations of WeissComm Partners, [phone], for Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.arenapharm.com/