Mercury Therapeutics Outlicenses Research Products Applications of AMP-Activated Protein Kinase to Millipore Corp.

WOBURN, MA, May 19 (MARKET WIRE) --
Mercury Therapeutics, a privately held biotech company based in Woburn,
Massachusetts focusing on the development of AMP-activated protein kinase
(AMPK) activators for the development of novel therapeutics for type 2
diabetes, oncology and cardiovascular disease, announced today the
signing of a world wide exclusive license with Millipore Corp. of
Bedford, Massachusetts for the rights to human AMPK in the field of
research products and services.

The AMPK patent was originally licensed by Mercury Therapeutics in 2000
from Dartmouth College. The patent is co-invented by Dartmouth Professor
Dr. Lee Witters and Dr. Bruce Kemp, his collaborator at St. Vincent's
Institute for Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia. The transaction
includes an upfront license fee, royalties on net sales, and sharing of
all sublicense revenue for the life of the Agreement.

"This association with Millipore promises to advance significantly the
field of AMPK-directed therapies," says Lee A. Witters MD, Eugene W.
Leonard 1921 Professor of Medicine & Biochemistry, Dartmouth Medical
School, Professor of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College.

Alla Kan, Director of Dartmouth's Technology Transfer Office, says: "This
technology, capable of alleviating symptoms of so many diseases, has
always been seen by us as one of our crown jewels, and now with this
exciting development, its time has come."

Katan Associates has advised Mercury on this transaction.

For further information please contact:
Katan Associates
(310) 374 0808

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