CombiMatrix Set to Attend NanoBusiness Alliance Policy Tour in Washington D.C.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:CBMX) (Nasdaq:ACTG) announced today that Dr. Amit Kumar, President and CEO of its CombiMatrix group, will be attending the NanoBusiness Alliance Public Policy tour in Washington D.C. February 8-9, 2005.

Last year's Public Policy Tour helped secure $3.7 billion in federal funding for nanotechnology research and development. This year, nanotech advocates will seek to secure full funding for the R&D program and launch a policy agenda that will speed the commercialization of nano-enabled products and services from the laboratory to the marketplace.

Dr. Kumar, who was appointed to the board of the NanoBusiness Alliance last year, will be one of a handful of executives from leading nanotech companies, both from Fortune 500 as well as young companies, leading the tour. Participants will represent a broad range of industries including communications, defense, healthcare, and electronics, as well as research institutions, non-governmental organizations, and regional government-led nanotech initiatives.

The group plans to meet with key legislators, members of the Bush Administration, and officials in major agencies of the U.S. government such as the Departments of Defense, Energy and Homeland Security, and the National Institutes of Health.

"This annual tour is of tremendous importance as nanotechnology increasingly becomes one of the key drivers of U.S. economic growth," said Sean Murdock, Executive Director for the NanoBusiness Alliance. "Our goals this year include securing full funding for federal nanotech R&D and supporting the activities of the Congressional Nano Caucus."

"This is a great opportunity for our emerging industry as well as CombiMatrix to increase our visibility and establish relationships that will be of future benefit," said Dr. Kumar, President and CEO of CombiMatrix. "As a board member of the NanoBusiness Alliance, I am heartened by the strong interest in this tour from industry as well as government."

During the two-day tour, there will be a media roundtable on February 9 at 9:15 a.m. in Room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., at which Dr. Kumar will be participating. For more information on the tour or media roundtable, please call Dale Curtis at 202-715-1520, or visit the NanoBusiness Alliance website at www.nanobusiness.org.

ABOUT THE NANOBUSINESS ALLIANCE

The NanoBusiness Alliance is the premier nanotechnology policy and commercialization advocate in the United States. Comprised of many diverse companies in various industries, as well as research institutions, non-governmental organizations and public-private partnerships, the Alliance provides a collective voice and a vehicle for efforts to advance the benefits of nanotechnology across our economy and society. Members are united in the belief that nanotechnology will drive economic growth, innovation and quality-of-life improvements in the 21st century.

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 controls 29 patent portfolios, which include 126 U.S. patents, and certain foreign counterparts, covering technologies used in a wide variety of industries. Acacia's Digital Media Transmission (DMT(R)) technology relates to transmission and receiving systems commonly known as 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 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.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

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.