SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 12, 2004--Tularik Inc. (Nasdaq:TLRK - News) today announced that it has initiated Phase 1 clinical testing of T71, an oral drug candidate for the treatment of obesity. T71 is expected to help obese patients lose weight by reducing appetite and increasing metabolic rate. In preclinical studies, T71 was also shown to decrease insulin and lipid levels, which are predictors of the obesity-related co-morbidities, diabetes and heart disease, respectively. This Phase 1 trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and is being conducted in overweight to obese healthy adult volunteers in the United Kingdom. The study will evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of single doses of T71. In addition, the effect of T71 on appetite, satiety and other markers of activity will be measured. The single ascending dose study will be followed by a multiple ascending dose study, also in overweight to obese healthy volunteers.

"Obesity and its associated co-morbidities, including diabetes and coronary heart disease, are creating serious individual and public health consequences worldwide," said Michael Levy, M.D., Vice President of Development and Chief Medical Officer of Tularik. "We are hopeful that T71, with its dual mode of action, will result in clinically meaningful weight loss for patients suffering from obesity."

About Tularik

Tularik is engaged in the discovery and development of a broad range of novel and superior orally available medicines that act through the regulation of gene expression. The Company's scientific platform is focused on three therapeutic areas: cancer, immunology and metabolic disease. Tularik is currently conducting a pivotal study of T67 for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and Phase 2 clinical trials of T607 for the treatment of gastric cancer and esophageal cancer. T487, for the treatment of psoriasis, and T131, for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, are in Phase 2 clinical trials. T487 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is moving into Phase 2 clinical trials. T71 for the treatment of obesity is in Phase 1 clinical trials. A corporate partner, Eli Lilly and Company, is conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial of an oral Factor Xa inhibitor for the prevention and treatment of thrombotic diseases. For more information, visit Tularik's Internet website at www.tularik.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements. For this purpose, any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "will," "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the results of Tularik to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, among others, risks detailed from time to time in Tularik's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2003 and the report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002. Tularik does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Contact:

Tularik Inc. Andrew Perlman, M.D., Ph.D., 650-825-7314

Source: Tularik Inc.