Copenhagen, 3 September 2009 - NeuroSearch A/S (NEUR) today announced that the
associated company, NsGene A/S (25% owned), has advanced Neublastin into Phase
I clinical development for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Neublastin is a
novel, proprietary and potentially disease-modifying therapeutic protein, which
NsGene has out-licensed to Biogen Idec (NASDAQ; BIIB) in the field of
peripheral nervous system disorders. NsGene has retained all global rights to
central nervous system indications.

The first patient has been dosed in the Phase I study at the University of
Adelaide in Australia with a total of 28 patients with neuropathic pain
expected to be enrolled to evaluate the safety and tolerability of Neublastin.
Biogen Idec will conduct and sponsor the Phase I study, the initiation of which
also triggers a milestone payment to NsGene from Biogen Idec.

Flemming Pedersen, CEO of NeuroSearch, commented:
”Neublastin is a novel biological drug candidate, which has the potential to
offer curative treatment of serious pain conditions as well as other diseases
caused by nerve damage, including spinal cord injuries. Such conditions are
only very poorly treated today, and we believe Neublastin may represent a
paradigm shift in the treatment of a number of diseases in the central and
peripheral nervous system. NsGene has a very exciting portfolio of biological
neurology products and we are very satisfied with the successful progress in
NsGene and our share holding in the company which we see as a long-term
strategic investment in biological drugs.”

In an announcement from NsGene today, Teit E. Johansen, CEO of NsGene, said:
“The initiation of this Phase I trial is a significant milestone for NsGene,
since Neublastin is the first programme from our unique pipeline of proprietary
neurotrophic factors to make the important transition into clinical
development.”

Gilmore O'Neill, Senior Director, Experimental Neurology, Biogen Idec, said:
“Biogen Idec is dedicated to developing pioneering treatments for patients with
neurological diseases and Neublastin represents a potentially first-in-class
therapy for restoration of damaged nerves that cause pain. We are excited that
the Phase I trial of neublastin has commenced.”


Flemming Pedersen
CEO


Contact persons:

Flemming Pedersen, CEO, telephone: +45 2148 0118
Hanne Leth Hillman, Vice President, Director of Investor & Capital Market
Relations, telephone: +45 4017 5103
Teit E. Johansen, President & CEO, NsGene A/S, telephone: +45 4460 8948

 
About Neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain is a type of chronic pain and a major debilitating consequence
of nerve damage, Neuropathic pain is commonly caused by diabetes, CNS disorders
and viral infection. Other causes are amputation, failed back syndromes,
cancer-induced nerve compression and chemotherapy. Between 1.5 percent and 7.7
percent of people are believed to be affected by neuropathic pain in the United
States and in European countries, respectively. E.g. there are an estimated 3.5
million people in Germany (6%) and 3 million in the United Kingdom (7.5%)
suffering from neuropathic pain. However, it is a syndrome that often is
under-diagnosed and under-treated. The existing treatments options in the field
are largely ineffective.


About NsGene
NsGene A/S (www.nsgene.dk) is a privately held Danish biotechnology company
founded in December 1999 as a spin-off from NeuroSearch. NsGene develops new
therapies for neurological diseases with high needs for efficacious treatments,
including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and intractable epilepsy.
Established and novel proteins, including antibodies, can be delivered to the
brain with NsGene's competitive and proprietary EC Biodelivery™ platform.

The major shareholders of NsGene include NeuroSearch A/S, Sunstone Capital A/S,
Omega Funds, and LD Pensions.


About NeuroSearch
NeuroSearch (NEUR) is a Scandinavian biopharmaceutical company listed on NASDAQ
OMX Copenhagen. The core business of the company covers the development of
novel pharmaceutical agents, based on a broad and well-established drug
discovery platform focusing on ion channels and central nervous system (CNS)
disorders. A substantial share of the activities is partner financed through
strategic alliances with Janssen Pharmaceutica, Eli Lilly and Company and
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and license collaboration with Abbott. The drug pipeline
comprises seven clinical (Phase I-III) development programmes:
Huntexil™(pridopidine) for Huntington's disease (Phase III), tesofensine for
obesity (Phase III ready), ABT-894 for ADHD (Phase II) in partnership with
Abbott, ACR343 for schizophrenia (Phase II ready), ACR325 to treat dyskinesias
in Parkinson's disease (Phase Ib), ABT-560 for the treatment of cognitive
dysfunctions (Phase I) in collaboration with Abbott, NSD-788 for anxiety (Phase
I) and NSD-721 for social anxiety disorder (Phase I) in collaboration with GSK.
In addition, NeuroSearch has a broad portfolio of preclinical drug candidates
and holds equity interests in several biotech companies.

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