Shaman Pharmaceuticals promotes Gerald M. Reaven to Senior Vice President.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 1996--Shaman Pharmaceuticals today announced that Gerald M. Reaven M.D. has been promoted to the position of senior vice president of research.

Reaven will continue to focus his efforts on identification of compounds for Shaman's clinical programs, with a current focus on the company's eight new compounds for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). He reports directly to Lisa Conte, Shaman's president and chief executive officer.

Reaven joined the company as vice president of research in July 1995. Prior to joining Shaman, Reaven was professor of medicine and headed the division of Endocrinology, Gerontology and Metabolism at Stanford University and directed the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center at Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He has published numerous original scientific papers on various aspects of glucose, insulin, and lipoprotein metabolism and has received the highest awards for meritorious research from the American Diabetes Association (Banting Award), the British Diabetes Association (Banting Award), the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (Claude Bernard Lectureship), and the American Diabetes Association, Indiana Affiliate (Josiah Kirby Lilly, Sr. Distinguished Service Award).

Lisa Conte, Shaman's president and chief executive officer, stated, "Jerry's many years of worldwide involvement in medicine and metabolic diseases have brought valuable wisdom and experience to Shaman's research team. This well-deserved promotion is a reflection of Jerry's hard work and commitment to Shaman."

In separate releases, the company also announced that Atul S. Khandwala Ph.D., will join Shaman as senior vice president of development and that Steven R. King Ph.D. has been promoted to senior vice president of ethnobotany and conservation.

Shaman has three compounds in development. Virend, a topical antiviral for the treatment of herpes, is ready to begin pivotal Phase III testing. Provir, for the treatment of secretory diarrhea, is beginning Phase II trials. Nikkomycin-Z, an oral anti-fungal for the treatment of endemic mycosis, is expected to enter Phase I clinical testing in late 1996.

Shaman Pharmaceuticals uses an integrated approach to discover new chemical entities from tropical plants with a history of medicinal use. Shaman relies on ethnomedical investigation and sophisticated screening models which result in a more efficient drug discovery process. Shaman's diabetes program has resulted in the discovery of several distinct new chemical entities, and forms the basis for a collaborative relationship with Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. -0-

Note to Editors: Virend and Provir are trademarks of Shaman Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CONTACT: Shaman Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

MaryAnne M. Hines, 415/952-7070, x481