Claus Braestrup, CEO of Lundbeck, appointed to Santaris Pharma Board

Copenhagen, Denmark, October 12, 2006 – Santaris Pharma, the Danish biopharmaceutical company, specialising in the development of RNA Targeted Medicines, announces that Dr Claus Braestrup, President and CEO, H. Lundbeck A/S, has been elected a member of the Board of Directors of Santaris Pharma.

Announcing the appointment, Keith McCullagh, President and CEO of Santaris Pharma, said: “I am delighted to welcome Claus Braestrup to the Board of Santaris Pharma. He brings considerable experience of successful R&D and commercial pharmaceutical management to Santaris and, in addition, has been a champion of Danish technology and innovation. I know that Santaris and its shareholders will benefit from his contribution to the Company.”

Commenting on Santaris Pharma and his appointment, Dr Braestrup said: “Santaris Pharma is an exciting growth company in pharmaceuticals, developing innovative medicines for the 21st century. The recent announcement that the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded for discoveries in RNA interference emphasises the extraordinary potential of drugs targeting RNA. Santaris Pharma’s rapidly developing portfolio of proprietary RNA antagonists may bring unique benefits to patients across a range of diseases. I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to their growth” .

Prior to becoming CEO of Lundbeck in 2003, Dr Braestrup was Lundbeck’s Executive Vice President for Research and Development. From 1994 to 1998 he was Head of Preclinical Drug Research with Schering AG and prior to that held executive positions in the CNS and Diabetes Care Divisions of Novo Nordisk A/S. Dr Braestrup holds Masters Degrees in Chemical Engineering (1967) and Biochemistry (1971) and was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine in 1980.

The Santaris Pharma directors other than Claus Braestrup are Søren Carlsen, Managing Partner, Novo Ventures; Martien van Osch, Director, ABN AMRO Capital Life Sciences; Holger Reithinger, Principal, Global Life Science Ventures; Linda Sjøstrøm, Partner, BankInvest; and Keith McCullagh, President & CEO, Santaris Pharma.

- ENDS -

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Keith McCullagh Henrik Stage

President & CEO, VicePresident & CFO,

Santaris Pharma, Santaris Pharma,

Copenhagen, Copenhagen,

Denmark Denmark

Tel. +45 4517 9819 Tel. +45 4517 9888

Cell +44 7939 573548 Cell +45 4026 0900

km@santaris.com hs@santaris.com 

For media relations, contact:

Annabel Entress, Account Manager, a.entress@northbankcommunications.com , +44 (0)20 3008 7557

Adam Michael, Account Director, a.michael@northbankcommunications.com , +44 (0)20 3008 7554

About Santaris Pharma

Santaris Pharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a new class of drugs intended to switch off the expression of harmful genes. Called RNA Antagonists, these new drugs are being developed by Santaris and its corporate partners for the treatment of cancer and metabolic disorders. Created in May 2003 and backed by a broad group of leading international life science venture capital investors, Santaris Pharma completed a Euro 40m second round of equity financing in May 2006. In July 2006, the Company entered into a global partnership with Enzon Pharmaceuticals of New Jersey to co-develop and commercialise a series of Santaris RNA Antagonists for improving the treatment of cancer.

Santaris Pharma’s RNA Antagonist drug pipeline is based on its unique LNA® technology. LNA® drugs, with their high potency and biostability, have the potential to transform the field of RNA targeted medicines, making specific and effective gene silencing a reality in human medicine. If this potential is realised, even in part, it may be possible to design new drugs to treat the underlying genetic causes of disease rather than just the physical symptoms. Santaris Pharma holds the world wide patent rights to the exploitation of LNA® in pharmaceuticals and presently has three drugs in preclinical or clinical development. The lead drug candidate, SPC2996, is currently undergoing an international, multicentre, phase I/II clinical study in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).

For further company information see www.santaris.com 

- ENDS -