CombiMatrix's CEO Dr. Amit Kumar Appointed to Board of the NanoBusiness Alliance.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:CBMX)(Nasdaq:ACTG) announced today the appointment of Dr. Amit Kumar, CEO and President of CombiMatrix, to the Board of the NanoBusiness Alliance. The NanoBusiness Alliance is the premier industry association supporting the emerging nanotechnology field.

"I am honored to have an opportunity to contribute to the key organization that is playing a critical role in the development of nanotechnology," said Dr. Kumar. "In the coming years, nanotechnology will pervade everything we do in our work and home. We anticipate revolutionary changes in medicine, electronics, communications, manufacturing and other fields. CombiMatrix plans to be at the forefront in the medical arena, and this appointment will enable me to have some influence on policy and funding in nanotechnology."

Dr. Kumar's interest in nanotechnology started with his doctoral studies at Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology where he studied semiconductor solar cells. After completing his Ph.D. he served as a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University where, working with Professor George Whitesides, he was the co-inventor and author of several pioneering patents on a nanotechnology now known as Micro-Contact Printing and Soft Lithography. These patents have been licensed by Fortune 500 companies and younger public and private biotechnology firms. Since that time Dr. Kumar has worked as a scientist, a venture capitalist and company executive focused in the areas of miniaturization and nanotech. CombiMatrix is commercializing a semiconductor-based array technology that enables executing thousands of independent, chemical reactions in parallel in volumes of a few tenths of nanoliters. Commercial applications of this technology include highly parallel genetic analysis microarrays, materials synthesis, drug development, and biodefense detection systems. Dr. Kumar is also a member of the steering committee of the Washington Nanotechnology Initiative.

"We are pleased to have Dr. Kumar join our board, which is composed of a group of highly influential and creative individuals from the investment, scientific and business communities," said Sean Murdock, the Executive Director of the NanoBusiness Alliance. "As nanotechnology becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, we hope to continue our efforts in influencing education, policy and funding issues."

The NanoBusiness Alliance is the first industry association founded to advance the emerging business of nanotechnology and Microsystems. The NanoBusiness Alliance's mission is to create a collective voice for the emerging small tech industry and develop a range of initiatives to support and strengthen the nanotechnology business community.

ABOUT THE NANOBUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC.

The NanoBusiness Alliance is the first trade association founded for the emerging industry of nanotechnology. The Alliance was founded by F. Mark Modzelewski, Nathan Tinker and Josh Wolfe of Lux Capital in October 2001. The Advisory Board of the Alliance includes the leaders of the nanotechnology community and is headed by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and venture capitalist Steve Jurvetson of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. The Alliance comprises over 250 member companies, including: General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin, Deloitte & Touche, AGFA, Preston Gates Ellis, Battelle, Zyvex, Carbon Nanotechnologies Inc., C-Sixty, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, City of Denver, JPMorgan, SUNY-Albany, Wexler Walker, Patton Boggs LLP, Goldman Sachs, Foley & Lardner, and Ardesta. The Alliance is headquartered in New York City and has offices in Washington, DC, and Denver, CO. The Alliance has Hubs and affiliate groups underway in Texas, Chicago, Colorado, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, San Diego, Michigan, New York State, Washington DC Metro, the EU, Norway, Canada, and Israel. http://www.nanobusiness.org

ABOUT ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION

Acacia Research Corporation comprises two operating groups: Acacia Technologies Group and CombiMatrix Group.

The CombiMatrix group is developing a platform technology to rapidly produce customizable active biochips, which are semiconductor-based tools for use in identifying and determining the roles of genes, gene mutations and proteins. CombiMatrix's technology has a wide range of applications including DNA synthesis/diagnostics, siRNA synthesis, drug discovery, and immunochemical detection. CombiMatrix provides DNA arrays to researchers under the CustomArray(TM) brand. CombiMatrix's Express Track(sm) drug discovery program is a systems biology approach, using its technology, to target common viral diseases with siRNA compounds.

The Acacia Technologies group develops, acquires, and licenses patented technologies. Acacia's DMT(R) technology, which is supported by 5 U.S. and 31 foreign patents, relates to audio and audio/video transmission and receiving systems commonly known as audio-on-demand, video-on-demand, and audio/video streaming, and is used for distributing digital content via several means including Internet, cable, satellite and wireless systems. Acacia's Internet Access Redirection ("IAR") technology covers redirected Internet registrations commonly used at wireless hotspots and hotels.

Acacia Research-Acacia Technologies (Nasdaq:ACTG) and Acacia Research-CombiMatrix (Nasdaq:CBMX) are both classes of common stock issued by Acacia Research Corporation and are intended to reflect the performance of the respective operating groups and are not issued by the operating groups.

Information about the Acacia Technologies Group and the CombiMatrix Group is available at www.acaciaresearch.com.

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This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including the economic slowdown affecting technology companies, our ability to successfully develop products, rapid technological change in our markets, changes in demand for our future products, legislative, regulatory and competitive developments and general economic conditions. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent and forthcoming Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Forms 8-K and 8-K/A, and other SEC filings discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.