Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. Announces Appointment of VP, Discovery Research

VANCOUVER, Canada, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc., a drug discovery and development company, is pleased to announce today that it has appointed Charles J. Cohen as Vice President, Discovery Research.

"We are delighted to welcome Charlie to the Xenon team," commented Simon Pimstone, Xenon's President and CEO. "Charlie brings a unique combination of drug discovery experience and leadership including in areas that are highly relevant to Xenon such as pain. With a drug candidate for pain currently in clinical trials, and a backup compound expected to follow, we are certain that Charlie's background will be of great benefit to Xenon. In addition to his experience in the pain area, Charlie brings broad and diverse expertise which will be applicable to our multiple discovery and pre-clinical programs."

Dr. Cohen has spent the past approximately 25 years in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry with positions at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. He held senior scientific positions and has published widely in the area of pain and more broadly in cellular neuroscience and neurology. Dr. Cohen received his PhD in Biophysics and Theoretical Biology from the University of Chicago.

About Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Xenon is a privately owned, clinical genetics-based drug discovery and development company engaged in developing small molecule therapies focusing in the areas of Pain, Diabetes/Obesity, Anemia and Iron Overload. Xenon has partnerships with Novartis Pharma AG, Roche and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. For more information, visit the Company's website at http://www.xenon-pharma.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements that are not based on historical fact. These forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

CONTACT: Dr. Simon Pimstone, President & CEO, ddunn@xenon-pharma.com, or
Vijay Sondhi, CFO & COO, vsondhi@xenon-pharma.com, both of Xenon
Pharmaceuticals Inc., +1-604-484-3300

Web site: http://www.xenon-pharma.com/