Anacor Co-Founders Recognized for Scientific Achievements

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Anacor Pharmaceuticals today congratulates its co-founders and board members,
Stephen Benkovic and Lucy Shapiro, as the recipients of two of the most
prestigious awards given in science. The awards recognize their groundbreaking
achievements in advancing medical research.

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Sciences:

* Stephen Benkovic, Ph.D., Evan Pugh Professor and Eberly Chair in Chemistry at
the Pennsylvania State University

Gairdner International Award:

* Lucy Shapiro, Ph.D., Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research and
Director of the Beckman Center in the School of Medicine at Stanford University

"Steve and Lucy founded Anacor on the basis of their research showing that boron
containing small molecules had the potential to be important new antibiotics.
With their continued scientific contributions and guidance, we`ve expanded the
applications of boron chemistry and introduced five internally developed, boron
containing molecules into clinical trials," said David Perry, Chief Executive
Officer of Anacor Pharmaceuticals. "Their contributions to Anacor have been
invaluable. On behalf of all of the employees of Anacor, I offer our sincere
congratulations to both of them."

Stephen Benkovic, Ph.D., is the Evan Pugh Professor and Eberly Chair in
Chemistry at the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Benkovic has received a
number of awards and fellowships including the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, NIH
Career Development Award, Guggenheim Fellowship, Pfizer Award in Enzyme
Chemistry, Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, Gowland Hopkins Award, Alfred Bader
Award, Pioneer Award from the American Institute of Chemists and Repligen Award
for Chemistry of Biological Processes. He is a member of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Science, the Institute of Medicine
and the American Philosophical Society. He received a B.S. and an A.B. from
Lehigh University, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Cornell University.

Lucy Shapiro, Ph.D., is the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer
Research and Director of the Beckman Center in the School of Medicine at
Stanford University. Dr. Shapiro is a Fellow of the American Association for the
Advancement of Sciences and has been elected to the National Academy of
Sciences, the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Academy of Arts and
Sciences and the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences for
her work in the fields of molecular biology and microbiology. She was elected to
the American Philosophical Society and received the Selman Waksman Award from
the National Academy of Sciences in 2005. She was a non-executive director of
GlaxoSmithKline from 2001 to 2006 and is on the board of Gen-Probe,
Incorporated. She received a B.S. from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in molecular
biology from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine.

Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Sciences

The Franklin Institute Awards are among the oldest and most prestigious
comprehensive science awards in the world. The Franklin Institute Awards
identify individuals whose great innovation has benefited humanity, advanced
science, launched new fields of inquiry, and deepened our understanding of the
universe.

Gairdner International Award

Considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in biomedical science, the
prize is given by the Toronto-based Gairdner Foundation to honor individuals who
have made outstanding and original contributions to medical research.

About Anacor Pharmaceuticals

Anacor is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel small molecule
therapeutics derived from its boron chemistry platform. Anacor has focused
initially on developing topical applications of its compounds to treat fungal,
bacterial and inflammatory diseases. In addition, the Company is developing
systemic antiviral and antibacterial therapeutics under a research and
development agreement with GlaxoSmithKline. Anacor's most advanced product
candidate is AN2690, a novel topical antifungal in development for the treatment
of toenail onychomycosis, which is a fungal infection of the nail and nail bed.
AN2690 is licensed to Schering-Plough Corporation under a worldwide development
and commercialization agreement for all indications including the treatment of
onychomycosis. For more information visit www.anacor.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that relate to future
events and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that
could cause actual levels of activity, performance or achievement to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.
These statements reflect the views of Anacor as of the date of this press
release with respect to future events and, except as required by law, it
undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise
after the date of this press release.

Anacor Pharmaceuticals
Anne Bowdidge, 650-543-7575
Investor Relations

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