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| |  Genetics-Based Atherosclerosis Target Ready for Drug Candidate Screening CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Dec. 4, 1996 -- A new development in the search for drugs to prevent or treat atherosclerosis occurred today as Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: MLNM) announced that a gene-based assay developed jointly at Eli Lilly and Company and Millennium is ready to enter screening at Lilly to identify atherosclerosis drug candidates. This represents the most advanced development to date in the Millennium/Lilly alliance in the field of atherosclerosis, which began in October of 1995, and is the second gene-based drug discovery effort at Millennium to reach the drug candidate screening stage. The assay will move into a high-throughput drug screening program at Lilly within the next several weeks, at which point Millennium will receive a milestone payment. Frank Lee, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Millennium pointed out, "We are excited by this new discovery because it potentially has a major impact on a very significant disease state, atherosclerosis. We are also pleased that this first of many possible approaches we are working on in cardiovascular disease moved so quickly to the drug screening stage." Atherosclerosis is one of the nation's most significant health problems. Characterized by the formation of lesions which narrow arteries and constrict blood flow, atherosclerosis is one of the principal forms of cardiovascular disease and a major causal factor in myocardial infarctions -- a leading cause of death. These same lesions are also implicated as a possible cause of angina pectoris. It is estimated that over half the adult population of the developed nations are at risk of atherosclerosis. The costs associated with this disease in the United States alone are in the billions of dollars annually. In other recent news from this cardiovascular program, Millennium scientists and collaborators at Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital published in the September 1996 issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the discovery of several genes associated with blood flow patterns known to be linked to the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. The drug screen assay development being announced today is in fact from another aspect of the Millennium/Lilly alliance and is not directly related to the recently published discoveries. Millennium employs large-scale genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics in an integrated, broad-based drug discovery program applicable to all major human diseases. Independently and in strategic alliances with leading pharmaceutical companies, the Company has focused its research efforts on identifying and elucidating the function of genes responsible for diseases that affect millions of individuals and are underserved by current therapeutic alternatives. These diseases include obesity, type II diabetes, atherosclerosis, asthma, cancer and diseases of the central nervous system. Millennium's principal objective is to use its drug discovery platform to enable and accelerate the discovery and development of new, proprietary therapeutic and diagnostic products capable of addressing these diseases at their root causes, rather than simply identifying and treating their symptoms. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Millennium currently employs over 260 people. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those stated. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in detail under "Risk Factors" in the May 6, 1996 prospectus covering the initial public offering of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. common stock which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which "Risk Factors" are incorporated herein by this reference.
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