Vernalis and Servier extend Oncology Collaboration

4 May 2010

LSE: VER

Vernalis and Servier extend Oncology Collaboration

Vernalis plc and Servier, France's largest privately-owned pharmaceutical company, today announce the extension of an ongoing oncology collaboration following success during its initial three-year term. As previously announced in May 2007, this collaboration focuses on two undisclosed oncology targets.

Ian Garland, CEO of Vernalis, commented "This news is an endorsement of our joint achievements during the past three years and we look forward to continuing our excellent relationship with Servier."

Bernard Marchand, PhD, Director of Servier Research added "We are very satisfied with the progress of this collaboration on two promising oncology targets involving protein-protein interactions. Such extension should allow us to finalise the discovery of innovative compounds with potential use in therapeutic indications with high unmet medical need. Cancer represents a major cause of mortality worldwide and Servier is committed to providing patients with novel therapeutic approaches for treating this devastating disease".

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About Vernalis

Vernalis is a development stage pharmaceutical company with significant expertise in taking promising product candidates along a commercially-focused path to market. The Group has one marketed product, frovatriptan for the acute treatment of migraine, and eleven candidates in development, eight of which are designated priority programmes. Five of these priority programmes are currently unpartnered and three are partnered. Pipeline programmes are derived from both our own research activities where we have significant expertise in fragment and structure based drug discovery, as well as from collaborations. Our technologies, capabilities and products are endorsed by collaborations with Biogen Idec, Chiesi, Endo, GSK, Menarini, Novartis and Servier.

About Servier Servier is the leading independent French pharmaceutical company, established in 1954 by its founder, Jacques Servier, M.D., Pharm.D. The group is established in 140 countries and 85% of Servier products are prescribed outside of France. Sales turnover in 2009 reached 3.6 billion euros. More than 25% of Servier's turnover is invested in Research and Development. The Servier Group counts 19 Internationals Centers of Therapeutic Research, and its principal therapeutic research orientations are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neuropsychiatric disorders, cancer, and osteoarticular diseases. More information is available at: http://www.servier.com/

For further information about Vernalis, please visit www.vernalis.com

Vernalis Forward-Looking Statement

This news release may contain forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events including the clinical development and regulatory clearance of the Company's products, the Company's ability to find partners for the development and commercialisation of its products, as well as the Company's future capital raising activities. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors including the success of the Company's research strategies, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the ability of the Company to identify and agree beneficial terms with suitable partners for the commercialisation and/or development of its products, as well as the achievement of expected synergies from such transactions, the acceptance of Frova® and other products by consumers and medical professionals, the successful integration of completed mergers and acquisitions and achievement of expected synergies from such transactions, and the ability of the Company to identify and consummate suitable strategic and business combination transactions.