Non-Antibacterial Tetracyclines Demonstrate Disease Protection in Preclinical

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Non-Antibacterial Tetracyclines Demonstrate Disease Protection in

Preclinical Studies

Neuroscience Annual Meeting

BOSTON, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ – Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

announcedresults of preclinical studies demonstrating that a new

class of compounds,orally available non-antibacterial tetracyclines,

has shown promising activityin a preclinical animal model of multiple

sclerosis (MS). Affecting approximately two million people worldwide,

MS is a chronic, inflammatorycondition of the nervous system and the

most common non-traumatic neurologicaldisease in young adults.

Dr. McKenney, a Paratek scientist, will present the findings

during an oral presentation at 2:30 p.m. PST (5:30 p.m.EST) today at

Neuroscience 2004, the Society for Neuroscience's 34th AnnualMeeting

in San Diego. For the first time, Paratek is presenting data showing

that its non-antibacterial tetracycline compounds in a preclinical

model of MS have efficacy comparable to minocycline, an antibiotic

also in the tetracyclinefamily. A previous clinical study directed by

Dr. Luanne Metz at theUniversity of Calgary has demonstrated disease

protection in MS patients treated with minocycline. Unfortunately,

long-term treatment with minocycline or any other broad-spectrum

antibiotic causes many patients to experience intolerability related

to antibiotic side effects.

In today's presentation, Paratek will report that three

non-antibacterial tetracycline compounds, with different structures,

demonstrated activity in reducing limb paralysis in the pre clinical

EAE (Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis) model of MS. These

compounds have no detectable antibacterial activity. Paratek

Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Serono (NYSE: SRA; virt-x: SEO)announced

today that they have entered into an agreement to discover, developand

commercialize an orally available disease-modifying treatment for

multiplesclerosis (MS). The agreement covers the compounds for which

Dr. McKenney presents data today. Stuart Levy, Paratek's Vice

Chairman, Chief Scientific Officer andCo-Founder, commented, " The

clinical research community has long regarded a pill for MS as an

ultimate goal, but so far attempts to develop a safe, feasible,

orally available drug candidate have failed. Our team has

successfully modified the tetracycline molecule, keeping the core

structure that confers anti-MS activity while removing portions of

the molecule with antibacterial effects. This represents an exciting

advance not only for MS, but potentially for many other

inflammation-related disease areas. " Dr. Draper, Associate

Director at Paratek, stated, " Paratek has developed world-class

expertise in modifying the tetracycline class, which has a 30-year

track record in the marketplace and a favorable, well-documented

safety profile. This new, proprietary class of non-antibacterial

tetracycline compounds will avoid the negative consequences

associated with long-termantibiotic use and will not further

contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. We believe

that these highly active, orally available compounds will also prove

to be well tolerated for MS, and we are very proud of this

accomplishment. "

About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is a chronic,

inflammatory condition of the nervous system and is the most common

non-traumatic neurological disease in young adults. Multiple

sclerosis may affect approximately two million people worldwide.

While symptoms can vary, the most common symptoms of multiple

sclerosis include blurred vision, numbness or tingling in the limbs

and problems with strength and coordination. The relapsing forms of

multiple sclerosis are the most common.

About Paratek Pharmaceuticals Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is engaged

in the discovery and commercialization of new therapeutics that treat

serious and life-threatening diseases, with a particular focus on the

growing worldwide problem of antibiotic resistance. Paratek's lead

programs are advancing novel compounds that can circumvent or block

bacterial resistance, as well as drugs that canprevent infection by

interfering with Multiple Adaptational Response (MAR) mechanisms in

bacteria. Out of these efforts, Paratek has discovered a newclass of

antibiotics, the aminomethylcyclines that target the need for new and

potent antibacterials to overcome the problem of rapidly growing

bacterial resistance. The Company's lead antibiotic clinical

candidate, BAY 73-7388,the first product from this class, is being

developed in a collaborative partnership with Bayer HealthCare AG for

the treatment of serious infections. Outside the antibacterial

therapeutic area, Paratek has also established an internal effort to

exploit its novel families of compounds and their unique mechanism of

action in selected anti-inflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions.

Paratek has an active chemical synthesis effort to produce novel and

diverse small molecules, with the goal of developing

non-antibacterial products with improved activity in serious diseases

based upon a growing body of clinical and basic research supporting

this approach. Paratek is privately held and headquartered in Boston,

Massachusetts, USA.

For more information, visit Paratek's website at

http://www.paratekpharm.com.