Nektar Therapeutics to Present Positive Data at Upcoming Medical and Scientific Meetings

Nektar Therapeutics to Present Positive Data at Upcoming Medical and
Scientific Meetings

SAN FRANCISCO, April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Nektar Therapeutics
(Nasdaq: NKTR) announced today that positive preclinical and clinical results
for its pipeline programs will be presented at numerous medical and scientific
meetings over the coming months. These presentations will highlight Nektar's
novel therapeutic candidates in the areas of oncology, anti-infectives and
central nervous system (CNS), which leverage Nektar's innovative small
molecule PEGylation and liquid aerosol platforms.
The data presentations are as follows:
-- April 12-16, 2008: Presentation of Positive Preclinical Data for
NKTR-102 (PEG-irinotecan) at the American Association for Cancer Research
(AACR) Annual Meeting in San Diego, California:
Poster #766: "Enhanced anti-tumor activity of NKTR-102, a novel
PEGylated-irinotecan, when administered in combination with
bevacizumab in a mouse model of human colorectal tumors"

Poster #5741: "NKTR-102, a novel PEGylated-irinotecan, has an
enhanced pharmacokinetic profile with reduced gastrointestinal and
hematopoietic toxicity compared to irinotecan with repeat dosing"

Poster #5742: "NKTR-102, a novel PEGylated-irinotecan, has a
superior acute safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile
compared to irinotecan"

-- May 8-10, 2008: Presentation of Phase 1 Clinical Trial Multi-Dose
Safety Data for NKTR-118 (oral PEG-naloxol) in Opioid Bowel Dysfunction at the
American Pain Society (APS) Meeting in Tampa, Florida:
Poster #210: "Results from a phase I, double-blind, randomized,
placebo-controlled, multiple-dose study evaluating the safety,
tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of oral doses of NKTR-118"

-- May 16-21, 2008: Positive Results from Phase 2 Clinical Trials for
NKTR-061 (inhaled amikacin) to be presented at the American Thoracic Society
(ATS) Meeting in Toronto, Canada:
Poster #516: "NKTR-061 (inhaled amikacin) BID achieves high
epithelial lining fluid concentrations in pneumonic portions of
lung"

Poster #517: "Evidence of High Amikacin Lung Deposition in
Mechanically Ventilated Patients (MVP) with Pneumonia and Healthy
Subjects (HS) dosed using NKTR-061"

Poster #518: "High in vivo amikacin lung deposition after NKTR-061
dosing correlates with in vitro aerosol characterization"

-- Positive Phase 1 Clinical data for NKTR-102 (PEG-irinotecan) will also
be published at additional oncology conferences this year.
About Nektar
Nektar Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and
enables differentiated therapeutics with its industry-leading PEGylation and
pulmonary drug development technology platforms. Nektar PEGylation and
pulmonary technology, expertise, manufacturing capabilities have enabled nine
approved products for partners, which include the world's leading
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Nektar also develops its own
products by applying its PEGylation and pulmonary technology platforms to
existing medicines with the objective to enhance performance, such as
improving efficacy, safety and compliance.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding upcoming
presentations of preclinical and clinical results at medical and scientific
meetings and the potential of Nektar's development technology platforms and
product pipeline. These forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, including but not limited to: (i) Nektar's proprietary product
candidates and those of certain of its partners are in the early phases of
clinical development and pre-clinical development and the risk of failure is
high and can unexpectedly occur at any stage, (ii) the timing or success of
commencing or concluding clinical trials is subject to a number of
uncertainties including but not limited to clinical design, patient
enrollment, regulatory requirements and clinical outcomes, (iii) Nektar's or
its partners' clinical trials may fail to meet minimum clinical end points,
(iv) Nektar or its partners may ultimately fail to obtain regulatory approval
of one or more product candidates, (v) Nektar's patent applications for its
proprietary or partner product candidates may not issue, patents that have
issued may not be enforceable or sufficiently broad as to protect against
competitive products, or intellectual property licenses from third parties may
be required in the future, (vi) the outcome of any existing or future
intellectual property or other litigation related to Nektar's proprietary
product candidates, and (vii) potential competition from existing approved
products (branded or generic) or product candidates under development by other
companies could negatively impact the commercial potential of Nektar's product
candidates due to such competitive factors as efficacy and safety profiles,
pricing, and reimbursement by third party payers. These forward-looking
statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including those risks
and uncertainties that are detailed in Nektar's reports and other filings with
the SEC including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Actual results
could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this
press release. Nektar undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise. No information regarding or presented at the medical and
scientific meetings referred to above (or contained at the Internet links
provided) is intended to be incorporated by reference in this press release.
Contacts:

Tim Warner (650) 283-4915 or twarner@nektar.com
Stephan Herrera (415) 488-7699 or sherrera@nektar.com
Jennifer Ruddock (650) 631-4954 or jruddock@nektar.com

SOURCE Nektar Therapeutics

Tim Warner, +1-650-283-4915, twarner@nektar.com, or Stephan Herrera,
+1-415-488-7699, sherrera@nektar.com, or Jennifer Ruddock, +1-650-631-4954,
jruddock@nektar.com, all of Nektar Therapeutics