Boston University School of Medicine and NitroMed, Inc. Launch Joint Research Program.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers/Education Writers

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 2003

Company Opens Research Facility in BU's BioSquare for

Basic Research in Nitric Oxide 

Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) announced today that they have formed a multi-year research collaboration with NitroMed, Inc. (NASDQ:NTMD), a pharmaceutical company developing nitric oxide enhancing medicines, to support basic research into the clinical and pharmacologic roles of nitric oxide (NO). To support this extended research program, NitroMed, with headquarters and principle research facilities in Bedford, MA, opened a second research facility in BU's BioSquare.

"We are proud to be on the BU campus and partnered with one of the pioneering nitric oxide research programs," said Michael D. Loberg, PhD., President and CEO of NitroMed. "This new collaboration will enable BU and NitroMed basic scientists to work alongside one another in uncovering new information, and ultimately new, improved NO targeted medicines."

NitroMed's technology platform, is based on the critical discoveries made by the Company's scientific founder, Joseph Loscalzo, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman, department of medicine, BUSM, Physician in Chief, Boston Medical Center and Director of the Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute and his colleagues. Loscalzo is also Chairman of NitroMed's Scientific Advisory Board.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with NitroMed investigators in this area of mutual interest," said Loscalzo. "Understanding the basic mechanisms underlying the in vivo metabolism of nitrogen oxide-bearing compounds is a critical area of scientific study for all of us working in the field," he added.

Under the agreement, NitroMed scientists will collaborate with Loscalzo and his team at the BU NitroMed laboratories located at BioSquare at Boston University Medical Center. Joining the collaboration is Martin Feelisch, PhD, a world renown researcher and author on methods in NO research. Feelisch will be joining BUSM as professor of medicine.

Loscalzo's research has been related to the development of stable, small molecule forms of NO donors that are safe and biologically active. Based on these discoveries, NitroMed has developed a diverse pipeline of novel NO-based molecules, as well as existing medicines enhanced with NO-donors.

Feelisch's ongoing research has been dedicated to better understanding the interactions of NO with different biological targets at the molecular and cellular level. He has also published on the in-vivo interactions of NO in health and disease.

About Nitric Oxide

Nitric Oxide (NO) is one of the smallest and simplest naturally occurring molecules in biology; composed of one atom of nitrogen (N) and one atom of oxygen (O). It plays a fundamental role in controlling a range of simple bodily functions such as circulation of the blood, activities of the brain, lungs, liver, stomach, kidneys, genitals and other organs. Cells in the body produce NO. For example, it works in relaxing vascular and non-vascular smooth muscle cells, increasing local blood flow, decreasing local inflammation, inhibiting platelet aggregation and smooth muscle cell proliferation, reducing expression of cell surface adhesion proteins, and controlling neurotransmission. Many disease states are associated with a deficiency in nitric oxide and might benefit from nitric oxide-enhancing medicicnes. NO-enhancing medicines have been shown to minimize the side effects associated with a variety of medications, including a broad range of anti-inflammatory medications. In 1998 the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded jointly to three scientists for their discoveries of nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. One of the Noble Laureates, Dr. Robert F. Furchgott, is a member of NitroMed's Scientific Advisory Board.

About BUSM

Established in 1873, Boston University School of Medicine is a leading academic and research institution, with an enrollment of nearly 630 students and more than 1,100 full and part-time faculty members. It is known for its programs in arthritis, cardiovascular disease, cancer, human genetics, pulmonary disease and dermatology, among others, and is one of the major biomedical research institutions in the United States. The School is affiliated with Boston Medical Center, its principal teaching hospital, and Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center. Along with Boston Medical Center and 15 community health centers, the School of Medicine is a partner in Boston HealthNet.

About NitroMed, Inc.

NitroMed is an emerging pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and seeks to commercialize proprietary pharmaceuticals based on the therapeutic benefits of the naturally occurring molecule nitric oxide. The Company uses its expertise in nitric oxide biology and chemistry to develop both novel drugs, as well as safer, more effective versions of existing drugs. Research and development efforts focus on major diseases that are characterized by a deficiency in nitric oxide, such as cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. BiDil(R), the Company's lead product in development, is an orally administered nitric oxide-enhancing medicine being investigated for the treatment of heart failure in African Americans. A late-stage confirmatory trial targeted to enroll 1,100 patients is underway in more than 160 sites throughout the United States. The Association of Black Cardiologists is a joint sponsor of the study. Collaborative partnerships are a key element of the Company's business strategy. NitroMed has agreements with Merck to jointly develop nitric oxide-based COX-2 inhibitors and with Boston Scientific to jointly develop nitric oxide coated cardiovascular stents. For additional information about NitroMed, please consult www.nitromed.com.