NeuroSearch successfully completes Phase I with ACR325 and announces the decision to progress development into Phase II Proof-of-Concept studies in Parkinson's disease and Bipolar Disorder

Announcement                                                                    


NeuroSearch successfully completes Phase I with ACR325 and announces the        
decision to progress development into Phase II Proof-of-Concept studies in      
Parkinson's disease and Bipolar Disorder                                        

Copenhagen, 26 June 2008 - NeuroSearch (NEUR.CO) has completed Phase I          
evaluation of its drug candidate, ACR325, with a highly positive outcome. The   
results of double-blinded, placebo controlled single and multiple dose studies  
in healthy volunteers show that ACR325 has a linear and predictable             
pharmacokinetic profile after oral administration. Further, the compound proved 
very well tolerated at doses and plasma levels exceeding by far the predicted   
therapeutic levels.                                                             

Following these positive Phase I results which are fully in line with promising 
findings from preclinical studies, NeuroSearch has initiated preparations to    
progress ACR325 into Phase II Proof-of-Concept studies in Parkinson's disease   
and Bipolar Disorder. The first Phase II study will be in Parkinson's patients  
suffering from L-Dopa induced dyskinesias (treatment related involuntary        
movements) and is expected to start enrolment in the second half of 2008. A     
Phase II study in Bipolar Disorder is planned to follow.                        

In preclinical studies, ACR325 has shown efficacy in a range of models for      
psychosis and motor disorders, in particular relevant for the treatment of      
Bipolar Disorder and motor disturbances including dyskinesias relating to       
Parkinson's disease. Unlike marketed antipsychotics, ACR325 does not, even at   
high doses, suppress locomotor activity, pointing towards good tolerability for 
this drug candidate and a potential clinical profile with less or even no side  
effects related to movement, motivation and reward. Further, preclinical results
from studies on Parkinson's related complications of L-Dopa treatment show that 
ACR325 has the ability to prevent the occurrence of motor complications, while  
leaving the beneficial treatment effects intact.                                

Dr. Joseph R. Calabrese*, Bipolar Disorders Research Chair and Professor of     
Psychiatry, Co-Director of Bipolar Disorders Research Center and Director of    
Mood Disorders Program, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western  
Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio commented:                                  
“The novel concept of dopamine stabilisers combined with the preliminary data on
ACR325, provide a convincing rationale for the development of this compound as a
mood stabiliser for use in the short- and long-term treatment of Bipolar        
Disorder. Specifically, the preclinical data suggest that ACR325 may possess the
ability to treat both phases of bipolar disorder at the same time; the manic    
phase which is presumed to be a high dopamine state, as well as the depressed   
phase, which is believed to be a low dopamine state. There is tremendous unmet  
need in the medical management of bipolar disorder and we are desperately in    
need of new treatments.”                                                        
* Prof. J.R. Calabrese is member of NeuroSearch's Scientific Advisory Board for 
ACR325                                                                          

Professor,  Dr. Wolfgang Oertel**, Chairman of the Department of Neurology,     
Philipps University, Marburg, Germany and a leading expert in Parkinson's       
Disease and other movement disorders, comments.                                 
“ACR325 is an exciting compound, representing a truly new approach in the       
treatment of Parkinson's patients and psychosis. L-DOPA is still the mainstay   
therapy for Parkinson's disease, yet leading to dyskinesias and psychotic events
after long-term treatment and as the disease progresses. ACR325 and dopaminergic
stabilizers as a class have the potential to treat and prevent motor- and       
psychiatric complications of the disease and its therapy.”                      
** Prof. Wolfgang Oertel is member of NeuroSearch's Scientific Advisory Board   
for ACR325.                                                                     

ACR325 is a dopaminergic stabiliser, belonging to a new class of compounds with 
a unique ability to either enhance or inhibit dopamine controlled functions,    
depending on the initial level of dopaminergic activity. Dopamine is a          
neurotransmitter, playing an essential role in the control of mental and motor  
functions. High levels of brain dopamine lead to psychotic symptoms, while low  
levels lead to thought and motor impairment. ACR325 has also demonstrated an    
ability to strengthen the glutamatergic and noradrenalinergic functions, which  
is an important aspect in novel treatments for psychosis and motor dysfunctions.

NeuroSearch has all rights to ACR325.                                           

The Phase I results and the decision to progress ACR325 into Phase II           
Proof-of-Concept studies do not change NeuroSearch's financial expectations for 
2008 of an operating loss in the region of DKK 450 million.                     


Thomas Hofman-Bang                                                              
Chairman of the Board                                                           



Contact persons:                                                                
Flemming Pedersen, CEO, telephone: +45 4460 8214 or mobile: +45 2148 0118       
Hanne Leth Hillman, Vice President, Director of Investor Relations & Corporate  
Communications, mobile: +45 4017 5103                                           



NeuroSearch (NEUR) is a Scandinavian biopharmaceutical company listed on the OMX
Nordic Exchange Copenhagen A/S. The core business covers the development of     
novel drugs, based on a broad and well-established drug discovery platform      
focusing on ion channels and CNS disorders. A substantial part                  
of NeuroSearch's activities are partner financed through a broad alliance with  
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and collaborations with among others Abbott and Astellas. 
The drug pipeline comprises 13 clinical (Phase I-III) development programmes:   
ACR16 in Huntington's disease (Phase III), tesofensine in obesity (Phase III in 
preparation), NS2359 in depression (Phase II) and ADHD (Phase II) in partnership
with GSK, ABT-894 in ADHD (Phase II) and pain (Phase II) in partnership with    
Abbott, ACR16 in schizophrenia (Phase I) in partnership with Astellas, ACR325 in
Parkinson's disease (Phase II in preparation) and bipolar disorder (Phase II in 
preparation), ABT-107 as well as ABT-560 for the treatment of various CNS       
disorders - both (Phase I) in collaboration with Abbott, NSD-644 in pain (Phase 
I) in partnership with GSK, ACR343 in Parkinson's disease (Phase I) and NSD-788 
in anxiety/depression (Phase I). In addition, NeuroSearch has a broad portfolio 
of preclinical drug candidates and holds equity interests in several biotech    
companies.