Prestwick Pharmaceuticals Announces the Appointment of
Christopher O’Brien, MD as Chief Medical Officer

Prestwick recruits Neurologist for clinical and medical affairs.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 2, 2003 – Prestwick Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a CNS specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today the appointment of Christopher O’Brien, MD to the position of Chief Medical Officer. Dr. O’Brien, a Board Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, has been a leader in clinical research with experimental therapeutics over the past 15 years.

"We are excited to have someone of Chris’ experience and capabilities join us at Prestwick," said Robert Whitehead, Prestwick's President and Chief Executive Officer. "In particular, Chris’ expertise in Movement Disorders along with his experience in late phase clinical trials, make him a unique and valued addition to our team."

Prior to his work at Prestwick, Dr. O’Brien was Senior Vice President of Global Medical Affairs at Elan Pharmaceuticals. He served on both the commercial and R&D management teams, oversaw phase 3b and 4 trials along with the Medical Science Liaison team and the Medical Information Service. For the preceding 10 years, he was Vice President of the Colorado Neurological Institute and Medical Director of the Huntington’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease Centers of Excellence in Colorado. Currently Adjunct Professor in the Neuroscience Department at University of California San Diego, he has held faculty appointments at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.

Dr. O’Brien received his MD from the University of Minnesota, his Neurology training at Minnesota and fellowship training in movement disorders and neuropharmacology at the University of Rochester. He is has served as Investigator or Director for over 100 clincial trials and has more than 75 publications in the Neuroscience literature. Dr. O’Brien has served as Board member with various national foundations supporting Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia and Tourette’s Syndrome.

Prestwick has multiple late-stage product candidates for CNS disorders in clinical development. The company’s lead product is tetrabenazine, a molecule that has been approved to treat Huntington’s chorea in Europe, Canada, and Australia. Tetrabenazine is currently undergoing pivotal Phase III clinical testing in the U.S. and Prestwick plans to file an NDA next year.

About Prestwick Pharmaceuticals
Prestwick Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company that focuses on treatments for Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders. The company was established in December 2002 and has multiple product candidates in clinical development in CNS. Prestwick plans to commercialize its lead product, tetrabenazine, in the U.S. as soon as FDA approval is obtained. For more information, visit www.prestwickpharma.com.