Name Change Reflects Transition to Product Company

    RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Norak Biosciences,
Inc. announced today it has changed its corporate identity to Xsira
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. effective immediately.  The name change is one element
of a plan to transition from a platform technology company to a product
development company.
    "Norak was founded in 1999 with a two pronged strategy, to scale up its
Transfluor(R) technology for licensing to third parties as a revenue
generator, while simultaneously using Transfluor to discover its own drug
pipeline," commented Dr. Roger D. Blevins, President and CEO of Xsira.  "Both
Transfluor and our drug pipeline have evolved to the point where separation of
these activities is now in the best interest of the Company. As such, we are
seeking to divest of our Transfluor business, and intend to utilize the
proceeds to advance our drug pipeline, as well as to in-license later stage
products with a strategic fit."

    About Xsira:
    Xsira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in Research Triangle Park, NC,
is a private biotechnology company.  Xsira is utilizing various proprietary
technologies including Transfluor to become a world leader in the discovery
and development of drugs that regulate G protein-coupled receptors. For more
information about Xsira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., please visit the Company's
website at http://www.xsira.com

Contact:

Terry E. Willard
Executive Vice President
Xsira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
7030 Kit Creek Road
Morrisville, NC 27560
Phone: 919-248-8000 ext. 8804
Fax: 919-248-8033
twillard@xsira.com

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