Harlow (UK), 26 January 2004... Argenta Discovery Ltd today announced that it has entered into a new contract research agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Argenta will provide discovery research capabilities to GSK's Respiratory and Inflammatory Diseases Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery (CEDD), based in Stevenage, UK, and to its Psychiatry Diseases CEDD, based in Verona, Italy. 

The new agreement follows a successful collaboration undertaken during the previous 12 months. 

-ends-

Notes to Editors:

About Argenta Discovery Ltd 

Argenta Discovery is an independent discovery company providing peer quality contract services in medicinal chemistry and biochemistry to pharmaceutical companies of all sizes. Argenta draws on its industry experienced scientists to deliver rapid hit finding capabilities together with the ability to convert and optimise hits and leads into validated, patentable chemical lead series and potential drug candidates. The company has previously worked with or is currently working with Aventis, Corcept, Pharmagene, Millennium, Adolor, De Novo, GlaxoSmithKline, Lundbeck, Amedis, Teijin Pharmaceuticals and other undisclosed partners. Argenta also actively works on its own research projects and can source targets via a unique relationship with London's Imperial College School of Medicine (Europe's largest medical school). Patentable lead series resulting from in-house programmes are available for sale or licence.

Argenta operates in new, state of the art laboratories in Harlow, UK, and is served by nearby London Stansted Airport. The company also has a US subsidiary, Argenta Discovery Inc, and a commercial representation in Japan, reflecting its global client base. Its scientific skills include computer-aided drug design, medicinal, parallel and combinatorial chemistry, high throughput analytical chemistry, molecular biology, biochemical assay development, automated molecular and cellular screening and in vitro ADMET screening. For further information please see www.argentadiscovery.com or email info@argentadiscovery.com 

For further information, please contact:

Argenta Discovery Ltd 
David Gee 
Chief Commercial Officer 
Tel: +44 (0) 1279 645645 david.gee@argentadiscovery.com  

De Facto Communications 
Richard Anderson 
Chief Executive Officer 
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7496 3300 r.anderson@defacto.com