Chesterford Research Park, UK and Mechelen, Belgium, 23rdAugust 2004 - BioFocus plc (AIM: BIO), a world leader in collaborative drug discovery, and Galapagos Genomics NV, Europe’s leading target discovery company, announce today that they have entered into a multi-target collaboration. The collaboration will combine BioFocus’ integrated drug discovery engine with Galapagos’ extensive expertise in target validation and cellular models of human disease.

Under the terms of the agreement, Galapagos will provide validated drug targets and BioFocus will discover and progress potential drugs to the lead compound stage. Galapagos will further develop these compounds into novel drugs for treating diseases of unmet medical need. The collaboration will be focused on discovering lead compounds against members of an important class of drug targets known as kinases. Throughout the pharmaceutical industry, drugs targeting kinases are being developed to treat a wide range of disease indications such as cancer, inflammation, obesity and diabetes.

Geoff McMillan, BioFocus’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Galapagos. Once more, BioFocus’ proven track record to deliver novel drug leads, has made us the partner of choice for providing solutions to industry. This collaboration also highlights the growth of opportunities for BioFocus with functional genomics companies that have a pipeline of validated targets and are looking for novel drug starting points.”

Onno van de Stolpe, Galapagos’s Chief Executive, said: “We are pleased to announce this important step forward for Galapagos and believe that the kinase discovery platform offered by BioFocus will allow us to rapidly progress our validated kinase targets. This collaboration marks the start of our transition into drug discovery and will form the basis of novel therapies for patients whose disease is poorly treated by existing medications.”

About BioFocus
BioFocus is a leading drug discovery company working in partnership with major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Additionally it is developing a portfolio of internal drug discovery programmes aimed at providing drug leads for partnering. The company was founded in 1997 and is quoted on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange. BioFocus works with a wide range of global clients has provided services and/or products to 24 out of the top 30 pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

About Galapagos Genomics NV
Galapagos Genomics is a discovery company focused on the rapid identification and validation of disease modifying drug targets by functional screening in human disease models. The research activities encompass the internal programs in osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's disease and asthma, as well as numerous partnerships with leading pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and biotech companies. Proprietary targets resulting from internal programs are used for the development of drugs in its core disease areas, combined with selected out-licensing and partnering of projects during development. The company currently employs 80 people, including 23 PhD's, and occupies a 2000 sq.m. research and production facility in Mechelen with additional research laboratories in Leiden, The Netherlands.

Galapagos’ partners include Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson&Johnson, Organon, Pfizer, Procter&Gamble, Vertex and Wyeth. Galapagos was founded in 1999 by Crucell (Nasdaq, Euronext: CRXL) and Tibotec to exploit Crucell's unique PER.C6TM technology for target discovery. The shareholders are Abingworth Management, Apax Partners, Burrill&Company, AlpInvest Partners, Crucell Holland and Tibotec-Virco.
More information on Galapagos can be found at the website www.galapagosgenomics.com.

Contact:
Dirk Pollet, VP Business Development
+32 15 342 980
dirk@galapagos.be

For further information please contact:

BioFocus +44 (0)1799 533500
Geoff McMillan, Chief Executive

Buchanan Communications +44 (0)20 7466 5000
Tim Anderson/Rebecca Skye Dietrich