Paris, France (October 15, 2004) - Aureus Pharma, a leading knowledge management based company and a solution provider for the Life Sciences industry, is pleased to announce the completion of a successful €3 million private placement. The placement includes two new investors OTC Asset Management and AXA Private Equity as well as existing investors BIOAM and CDC Enterprises-FP Gestion.

The funds raised will be used to extend Aureus Pharma’s products portfolio by developing new databases and software and to expand its marketing and sales capabilities globally.

Aureus Pharma’s unique platform is based upon a proprietary technology which provides novel, coherent and comprehensive knowledge in drug discovery. The platform currently includes databases focused on pharmaceutically important topics (G-Protein Coupled Receptors, Ion Channels, and ADME/Drug-Drug Interactions) and will be expanded to include additional drug targets including kinases, proteases and nuclear receptors.

Aureus Pharma’s customers include leading pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi-Aventis, Roche and Servier. “This new investment is a strong endorsement of the value we have created at Aureus Pharma over a short period of time” said Dr. André Michel, CEO of Aureus Pharma “The Company is now well placed to become the leader in drug target based knowledge management systems”.

“We believe that Aureus Pharma’s innovative platform has huge potential to create valuable knowledge management tools with a significant impact in accelerating drug discovery” said Glenn Richard, Investment Manager at AXA Private Equity.

“Aureus Pharma is a tremendous investment opportunity because it combines outstanding management capabilities with technological leadership on a fast growing market segment. We believe that Aureus Pharma will remain at the forefront of the drug discovery knowledge management business” commented Paul-Henry Schmelck of OTC Asset Management.

About Aureus Pharma

Aureus Pharma headquartered in Paris, France, is a privately held leading knowledge management based drug discovery company and a solution provider for the life sciences industry, founded in 2000. Aureus Pharma proposes a novel solution combining computerized knowledge management systems with experimental methods in order to accelerate new drug discovery. This mission fits with the need to innovate in therapeutic target identification and to discover safer and more specific drugs Further information about Aureus Pharma is at: www.aureus-pharma.com

About AXA Private Equity

AXA Private Equity is a capital management company with an exclusive focus on unlisted investments. It has offices in Paris, Frankfurt, London and New York, and its expertise spans each sector of private equity: LBO, venture capital, growth expansion, recovery and Primary and Secondary Funds of Funds. AXA Private Equity manages and/or advises Private Equity funds with combined assets in excess of EUR 5 billion for some of the world’s leading investors. With a constant focus on transparency, performance and sustainable profitability, AXA Private Equity is supported by the expertise of its staff and its international experience. AXA Private Equity has been developing its Venture Capital arm since 1998, with the support of offices in Paris, Frankfurt, London and New York. It accompanies businesses through every stage of their development within an active partnership that accelerates growth and enhances profits. Over 40 companies with state-of-the-art technological expertise in domains such as IT and Life Sciences have invested their trust in AXA Private Equity’s Venture Capital team. (www.axaprivateequity.com)

About OTC Asset Management

OTC Asset management – founded in 2001 – is part of Tocqueville Finance, one of the most profitable independent portfolio management firms in France. OTC manages three funds investing in innovative companies in the high-tech, communication, and life science sectors, in France and other European countries. (www.otcam.com)

Contact:
Mary E. Donlan, Ph.D
Director of Marketing
+33 1 40 18 57 57
mary.donlan@aureus-pharma.com