Topigen Pharmaceuticals Inc. Completes Formation of New Management Team With the Appointment of Robert Boisjoli as Chief Financial Officer

MONTREAL--(Marketwire - January 09, 2009) - TOPIGEN Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative respiratory therapeutics, today announced that the Company has made strategic additions to its management team and scientific advisory boards. Robert Boisjoli has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 20 years of senior-level finance and management expertise to TOPIGEN, including experience in both corporate and investment banking roles within the life sciences and significant experience in business valuation and corporate development.

"Robert brings to TOPIGEN extensive and diverse financial and operational management experience," said Mark Parry-Billings, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of TOPIGEN. "He will play a pivotal role in the Company as we advance our pipeline of innovative therapeutics for respiratory diseases. His appointment completes the new management team at TOPIGEN and provides a significant financial track record in U.S. biotech to supplement the existing expertise in our business in respiratory product development and successful licensing in the key North American territory."

Mr. Boisjoli most recently served as Chief Financial Officer and co-founder of Xanthus Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Boston-based biotechnology company, where he was responsible for all financial business and operations and was instrumental in the acquisition of Xanthus by Antisoma, PLC in June 2008. Prior to this, he was head of Investment Banking in Quebec for various Canadian securities firms, where most of his activities involved raising equity for emerging companies in the biotech and information technology fields. He was also instrumental in setting up a mutual fund primarily involving smaller capitalization technology firms and was involved in strategic mergers and acquisitions. He serves on the board of various companies and professional organizations. Mr. Boisjoli is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Business Valuator and holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Accountancy from Concordia University.

TOPIGEN Board member Jeremy Curnock Cook added, "TOPIGEN has been able to attract and secure an international management team to lead the company based on the strengths of the Company's product portfolio and proprietary oligonucleotide technology. Dr. Mark Parry-Billings brings significant expertise in effective respiratory product development, Dr. Lisa Nolan has led a number of successful and substantial respiratory licensing deals for both U.S. based and international companies and Robert Boisjoli has just completed the sale of Boston-based Xanthus to United Kingdom-based Antisoma. This is truly a focused and expert international team."

In addition, the Company announced strategic additions to its scientific advisory boards. Marianne Mann, MD, former Deputy Director of the Food and Drug Administration Division of Pulmonary and Allergy Drug Products, has been appointed to TOPIGEN's Clinical Advisory Board. TOPIGEN's Research Advisory Board has also been expanded to include Elizabeth Vadas, PhD, previously Executive Director of Pharmaceutical Research and Development at Merck.

Dr. Parry-Billings added, "We are delighted to welcome these high-level new appointments to our scientific advisory boards. They add to an already esteemed group of individuals and will provide significant additional capabilities and strengths in the areas of regulatory strategy and pharmaceutical product development."

About TOPIGEN

TOPIGEN Pharmaceuticals is developing a clinical pipeline of innovative therapeutics for respiratory diseases, including asthma and COPD. The Company's unique, multi-targeted oligonucleotide product candidates have compelling therapeutic profiles that address major unmet medical needs. TOPIGEN's business strategy is to advance products through clinical proof of concept and out-license to partners for commercialization. www.topigen.com.