DARA BioSciences to Present Abstracts for DB959 At American Diabetes Association...

DARA BioSciences to Present Abstracts for DB959 At American Diabetes Association
Scientific Sessions

RALEIGH, N.C., March 30, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today DARA BioSciences, Inc.
(Nasdaq:DARA) announced that two abstracts have been accepted for presentation
at the annual American Diabetes Association ("ADA") Scientific Sessions to be
held in New Orleans, LA, June 5-9, 2009. The presentations will provide details
on the company's lead diabetes candidate DB959 which was cleared by the United
States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for Phase 1 Clinical Studies,
earlier this month.

The first abstract entitled "DB959, a Novel, Dual PPAR-delta/gamma Agonist with
a Favorable Nonclinical Safety Profile" has been selected for a poster
presentation in the session "Clinical Therapeutics/New Technology -
Pharmacologic Treatment of Diabetes or its Complications" on June 6, 2009.

The second abstract entitled "DB959 is a Novel, Dual PPAR delta/gamma Agonist
which Controls Glucose and Regulates Triglycerides and HDLc in Animal Models of
T2D and Dyslipidemia" has been selected for an oral presentation in the session
"New Treatments in Development" on June 8, 2009.

Mary Kay Delmedico, Ph.D., leader of the DB959 Program at DARA, said, "It is an
honor to have the results of our work chosen by the ADA for presentation."

About DB959

Earlier this month, the United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA")
cleared the Company's Investigational New Drug Application ("IND") for DB959,
allowing DARA to commence Phase 1 studies in humans. DB959 is a unique,
first-in-class dual peroxisome proliferator activated receptor ("PPAR")
delta/gamma agonist and is intended for use in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
Mellitus (T2D) including addressing the abnormalities in cholesterol and
triglycerides in these patients. The Company plans to develop DB959 as a
once-a-day oral medication alone and in combination with other approved
medicines. At the present time, DARA is in the process of evaluating strategies
for raising additional capital and/or forming strategic partnerships to fund
further clinical development.

The unique combination of the delta/gamma agonist activities gives this
therapeutic candidate the potential to provide cardiovascular benefit to Type 2
diabetes patients. In non-clinical studies, DB959 demonstrated the potential to
control blood sugar, raise good HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower
total cholesterol and improve the HDL:LDL ratio. In addition, the IND-enabling
non-clinical safety studies performed with DB959 suggest a more favorable safety
profile than selective delta or gamma agonists or combination agonists with
alpha activity, particularly with regard to cardiovascular safety. DB959 is a
non-thiazolidinedione (non-TZD) and does not have PPAR-alpha activity and is
unique from Avandia(r) and Actos(r) both in structure and activity.

About DARA BioSciences, Inc.

DARA BioSciences(tm), Inc. ("DARA") is a Raleigh, North Carolina based
development-stage pharmaceutical company that acquires promising therapeutic
small molecules and develops them through proof of concept in humans for
subsequent sale or out-licensing to larger pharmaceutical companies. It has a
portfolio of drug candidates for neuropathic pain, type 2 diabetes, and
psoriasis. For more information please contact the Company at 919-872-5578 or
visit our web site at www.darabio.com.

All statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially for DARA from those projected. Those factors
include risks and uncertainties relating to DARA's current cash position and its
need to raise additional capital in the near term in order to be able to
continue to fund its operations, risks and uncertainties relating to DARA's
ability to develop and bring new products to market as anticipated, the current
regulatory environment in which the company develops and sells its products, the
market acceptance of those products, dependence on partners, successful
performance under collaborative and other commercial agreements, competition,
the strength of DARA's intellectual property, the intellectual property of
others, and other risk factors identified in the documents DARA has filed, or
will file, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of DARA's filings
with the SEC may be obtained from the SEC Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.
DARA expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any
updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to
reflect any change in DARA's expectations with regard thereto or any change in
events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based.
DARA BioSciences and the DARA logo are trademarks of DARA BioSciences, Inc.

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CONTACT: DARA BioSciences, Inc.
Lynn Morris, Sr. Mgr., Investor Relations &
Corporate Operations
(919) 872-5578