[news in 2003 to 2004]

Queen's-generated company signs exclusive distribution deal for lead drug candidate

Jan. 5, 2005

For immediate release

KINGSTON, ON -- Neurochem, Inc. a spinoff company of Queen's University's PARTEQ Innovations, has signed an exclusive agreement with Centocor Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, for distribution rights to FibrillexT, Neurochem's investigational product candidate for the treatment and prevention of AA Amyloidosis.

Neurochem announced completion of Phase II/III clinical trials of FibrillexT in December. The company expects to file for regulatory approval this year. AA Amyloidosis is a progressive and fatal condition associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The agreement gives Centocor worldwide marketing and distribution rights to Fibrillex, with the exception of Canada, Switzerland, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, where marketing and distribution remain with Neurochem.

"This agreement provides Neurochem with the means to achieve good penetration for its first drug candidate. This deal moves us another step closer to the objective of getting a product on the market," says John Molloy, President and CEO of PARTEQ.

"It has been 10 years since we formed Neurochem based on this product concept and we are now anxiously awaiting final clinical trial results and, hopefully, approval of this product in the relative near term."

Contact:
John Molloy
613. 533. 6000 ext. 77478
jmolloy@parteqinnovations.com

About Neurochem:
Neurochem Inc. is a publicly traded company founded in 1993 by PARTEQ Innovations, based on research at Queen's University. A leading Canadian biotechnology company, Neurochem also has drug candidates in clinical trials for Alzheimer's and hemorrhagic stroke. The company is based in Montreal and has 125 employees.
www.neurochem.com