Koronis Pharmaceuticals Receives Notice of Allowance on Patent for Novel Therapeutic KP-1461 in Development for Treatment of HIV

Seattle (April 19, 2006)  Koronis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced receipt of a notice of allowance from the United States Patent & Trademark Office on a patent application covering KP-1461, the Company s lead product candidate in development for the treatment of HIV.

The allowed claims relate to both use and composition of KP-1461, an oral small molecule currently in clinical trials to treat HIV infection. KP-1461 utilizes a novel therapeutic mechanism, Viral Decay Acceleration™ (VDA), that works by increasing the virus naturally high mutation rate. The accumulation of mutations throughout the viral genome exceeds an error threshold and leads to viral collapse. In vitro experiments have demonstrated the VDA mechanism, and scientists anticipate that similar findings will be noted in clinical trials of HIV-infected patients.

"This patent is quite significant because it is the first on a Viral Decay Acceleration™ molecule. It will be an important addition to our strong patent portfolio, which currently includes five issued patents related to the VDA approach," said Donald Elmer, Chairman and interim chief executive officer of Koronis.

KP-1461 is designed to provide a unique approach to the treatment of HIV infection. Unlike approved antiretroviral agents, KP-1461 does not inhibit viral enzymes or proteins. Rather, by inducing mutations within the viral genome, KP-1461 degrades viral fitness leading to viral population collapse. Preliminary results from the Phase 1b safety and pharmacology trial in therapy-experienced HIV-infected patients have demonstrated KP-1461 to be safe and well tolerated. Based on these results Koronis Pharmaceuticals plans to initiate Phase 2 clinical trials in the second quarter of 2007 in order to demonstrate proof-of-concept for VDA.

About Koronis

Koronis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company developing anti-viral therapeutics based on a novel mechanism, Viral Decay Acceleration™ (VDA). In addition to the Company's lead product candidate, KP-1461 for AIDS/HIV, the Company has products in development for the treatment of hepatitis C and RSV. For more information on Koronis, please visit www.koronispharma.com.

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