Acacia Technologies Acquires Patent for Portable Audio Device Technology

Business Wire, May 23, 2006

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:ACTG)(Nasdaq:CBMX) announced today that Acacia Patent Acquisition Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary that is part of the Acacia Technologies group, a leader in technology licensing, has acquired a patent relating to portable audio recording and playback devices from ESPRO Information Technologies, Ltd., www.espro.com, a provider of electronic audio guiding and interpretation systems.

"Acacia is rapidly becoming the leader in technology licensing as we continue to grow our base of future revenues by adding new patent portfolios," commented Paul Ryan, Acacia Chairman and CEO. "Many technology companies are selecting us as their outsourced partner for the licensing of their patented technologies," concluded Mr. Ryan.

The patented technology relates to products such as certain MP3 players and cell phones using solid state memory that can download compressed audio and record analog audio.

ABOUT ACACIA RESEARCH CORPORATION

Acacia Research Corporation comprises two operating groups, Acacia Technologies group and CombiMatrix group.

The Acacia Technologies group develops, acquires, and licenses patented technologies. Acacia controls 44 patent portfolios, which include over 160 U.S. patents, and certain foreign counterparts, covering technologies used in a wide variety of industries including audio/video enhancement & synchronization, broadcast data retrieval, computer memory cache coherency, credit card fraud protection, database management, data encryption & product activation, digital media transmission (DMT(R)), digital video production, dynamic manufacturing modeling, enhanced Internet navigation, hearing aid ECS, image resolution enhancement, interactive data sharing, interactive television, laptop docking station connectivity, microprocessor enhancement, multi-dimensional bar codes, network data storage, resource scheduling, rotational video imaging, spreadsheet automation, user activated Internet advertising and web conferencing & collaboration software.

The CombiMatrix group is developing a platform technology to rapidly produce customizable arrays, which are semiconductor-based tools for use in identifying and determining the roles of genes, gene mutations and proteins. The CombiMatrix's group's technology has a wide range of potential applications in the areas of genomics, proteomics, biosensors, drug discovery, drug development, diagnostics, combinatorial chemistry, material sciences and nanotechnology.

Acacia Research-Acacia Technologies (Nasdaq:ACTG) and Acacia Research-CombiMatrix (Nasdaq:CBMX) are both classes of common stock issued by Acacia Research Corporation and are intended to reflect the performance of the respective operating groups and are not issued by the operating groups.

Information about the Acacia Technologies group and the CombiMatrix group is available at www.acaciaresearch.com.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including the recent economic slowdown affecting technology companies, our ability to successfully develop products, rapid technological change in our markets, changes in demand for our future products, legislative, regulatory and competitive developments and general economic conditions. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, recent and forthcoming Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Forms 8-K and 8-K/A, and other SEC filings discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.