Fulcrum Pharma PLC announces Syngenta Biopharma Agreement

Market Wire, May, 2005

For immediate release                                  18 May 2005

                         Fulcrum Pharma plc
                    ("Fulcrum" or "the Company")

      Fulcrum Announces Partnership with Syngenta Biopharma

Fulcrum Pharma plc (AIM: FUL), the drug development and strategic outsourcing company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Syngenta Biopharma, the biopharmaceutical unit of the global agribusiness Syngenta AG of Basel, Switzerland.

Under the agreement, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, Fulcrum will provide development expertise and resources to enable Syngenta Biopharma to progress the latter company's lead projects toward clinical development. This will be achieved through the implementation by Syngenta Biopharma of elements of Fulcrum's proven Document Driven Drug Development tools and processes.

Dr. Antony Blanc, Head of Biopharma at Syngenta, said: "We believe the expertise of Fulcrum will enable us to strengthen our processes and ultimately accelerate the development of our portfolio. This agreement demonstrates our desire to complement our internal skills through partnerships with industry leading companies."

Jon Court, Fulcrum Pharma's Chief Executive, said: "Fulcrum is delighted to enter into this agreement which we believe will help Syngenta Biopharma to meet its developmental and product goals. This arrangement represents another successful step in our strategy of establishing long term relationships with our clients."

For further information, please contact:

Fulcrum Pharma PLC                         Tel: 0870 710 7152
Jon Court, CEO

Buchanan Communications                    Tel: 020 7466 5000
Mary-Jane Johnson

Notes to Editors:

About Syngenta

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2004 were approximately $7.3 billion. Syngenta employs some 19,000 people in over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT). Further information is available at www.syngenta.com.

Syngenta has set-up a dedicated biopharma unit (www.syngenta.com/biopharma) to apply its in-house capabilities and infrastructure to the development of biopharmaceuticals.

About Fulcrum Pharma

Fulcrum Pharma plc is an independent, drug development company that is the first to offer global virtual drug development and strategic outsourcing services to the pharmaceutical industry. The Company has expertise in the design, execution and delivery of drug development programmes and relies on state of the art information technology and infrastructure in the supply of its services.

Through Fulcrum's services to its clients, the Directors believe that there is the capacity to deliver products faster and more efficiently to the global pharmaceutical market. Fulcrum does this by using its skills in the design of drug programmes that deliver the necessary information for decision-making and product registration. In so doing, Fulcrum works closely with its clients to meet their strategic R&D goals.

Fulcrum Pharma is listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange having successfully floated in March 2000.

                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange