Mpex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Mpex Pharmaceuticals and Molsoft announce collaboration for the structure-based design of new antibacterial compounds.

San Diego, CA., June 18, 2003 - Mpex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Mpex”) and Molsoft, LLC (“Molsoft’) have announced a collaboration to rationally design new antibacterial agents based on the refinement of a 3-D molecular structure of a membrane protein target, the functional characterization of its surfaces, and the application of predictive algorithms.

Under terms of the agreement, Molsoft will provide computational chemistry and computational structural biology support services in return for participation in downstream revenues resulting from any new drug candidates. More specifically, Molsoft will utilize its proprietary software and extensive computational chemistry expertise, along with Mpex supplied data and knowledge, to conduct ligand docking and ligand-morphing studies to identify new chemical structures that have greater activity against the Mpex targets.

Mpex is pursuing the discovery of next generation antibiotics that meet the growing clinical need created by multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens. To identify these new agents, Mpex is screening new sources of small molecule diversity using its proprietary assay technologies while simultaneously screening compound libraries in silico utilizing the Molsoft-refined 3-D protein model.

“Mpex is building on early efforts to directly inhibit resistance mechanisms in Gram-negative pathogens by employing newer technologies and a more comprehensive approach,” states Bill Gerhart, President and CEO of Mpex Pharmaceuticals. “This partnership with Molsoft is a very important part of our strategy to rationally screen all possible diversity to insure we identify new lead compounds with the best chances of success. Molsoft has an excellent reputation for providing computational chemistry services to pharmaceutical and large biotechnology companies, and we are very enthusiastic about the prospects created by this partnership.”

About Mpex Pharmaceuticals

Mpex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an early-stage, privately held biotechnology company founded in 2001 to apply its proprietary membrane protein expression ("Mpex") technology to the discovery of new antibacterials. Mpex is uniquely targeting channels, transporters, and other novel membrane protein targets to develop new broad-spectrum antibiotics with stronger Gram-negative activity. The Company is utilizing its proprietary technologies, extensive antimicrobial expertise, and collaborative relationships to identify and validate these novel targets and has thus far initiated three lead discovery research programs.

About Molsoft, LLC

Molsoft, LLC is a San Diego company that develops new breakthrough technologies in computational chemistry and biology. Molsoft is committed to solving intellectually challenging problems in drug discovery and computational biology. Molsoft has built proprietary computational environments including the ICM suite of programs for molecular modeling, bioinformatics, cheminformatics and ligand docking; BEE, a high-performance scripting language for data management, analysis, and visualization; and MolCart, a database cartridge for versatile and fast chemical searches. Molsoft offers software tools and services in lead discovery, modeling, cheminformatics, bioinformatics, and corporate data management, forms partnerships with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and is the recipient of several NIH and DOE-sponsored awards.

Contact Information

Mpex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Neil Berkley, Business Development Manager
Telephone: 619-594-5377
nlberkley@mpexpharma.com
www.mpexpharma.com

Molsoft, LLC
Crystal Crawford, General Counsel
Telephone: (858) 625-2000, ext 102
crystal@molsoft.com
www.molsoft.com

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