Neurocrine Biosciences Presents 17 Abstracts At Society of Neuroscience Meeting in New Orleans.

Business Editors and Health/Medical Writers

BIOWIRE2K

SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--Nov. 9, 2000

Company Provides Further Validation of Corticotrophin 

Releasing Factor (CRF) in Anxiety/Depression

Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq:NBIX) Thursday announced that its scientists presented data which further validates corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) for anxiety/depression at the Society for Neuroscience meeting held this week in New Orleans.

Fifteen independent studies relating to CRF were presented including research efforts from within Neurocrine as well as its collaborators from Emory University, University of Wisconsin, and the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry, Munich and the University of California, Irvine. These studies, many of which investigated basic mechanisms, confirmed that the CRF system plays a major role in a variety of stress-related disorders.

Investigators presented detailed preclinical and clinical studies with the first generation receptor antagonist from the Max Planck Institute giving support to the hypothesis that CRF receptor antagonists would be beneficial in psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression or in other stress-related disorders. Both preclinical and initial human studies were presented to support these findings. Studies from the University of Wisconsin and UC Irvine outlined the role of CRF in regulating the stress response and the ability of selective antagonists to reduce stress-related behaviors in various preclinical models. A study conducted at Neurocrine demonstrated the involvement of the CRF system in the neurodegeneration associated with ischemic brain damage. The results indicated that selective and potent CRF1 receptor antagonists can be neuroprotective following permanent focal cerebral ischemia and showed that the protection was maintained when treatment was initiated up to one hour after the ischemic insult, confirming the involvement of the CRF1 receptor sub-type in the genesis of ischemic brain damage.

Studies from both Neurocrine and Emory University reported the efficacy observed with these molecules in various animal models of stress or anxiety. In addition, studies conducted by the Emory collaborators clearly demonstrated a role for CRF in the withdrawal syndrome from benzodiazepines or opiates. CRF receptor antagonists were shown to mitigate both the neuroendocrine and the behavioral response to withdrawal suggesting a novel use for these antagonists in the treatment of substance abuse.

In addition to the CRFR1 receptor subtype, Neurocrine researchers have been investigating the function of CRFR2 and are presenting additional findings on the role of this receptor on energy balance by modulating food intake. These results could lead to the development of drugs for the treatment of obesity and anorexia nervosa.

Neurocrine Biosciences is a neuroscience based research and development biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapeutic products in the areas of anxiety, depression, insomnia, malignant brain tumors, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. news releases are available through the company's Web site via the Internet at http://www.neurocrine.com.

In addition to historical facts, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. A more complete description of these risks can be found in the company's Form 10K for the year ended Dec. 31, 1999 and the current form 10Q each of which should be read before making any investment in Neurocrine common stock. Neurocrine undertakes no obligation to update the statements contained in this press release after the date hereof.