Findings Published in Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Demonstrate Potential for Amira Pharmaceuticals' LPA1 Receptor Antagonist as an Anti-Fibrotic Agent

SAN DIEGO, January 5, 2011 - Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the publication of its
findings in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET)
which describes the biologic effects and the characterization of AM095, a
lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor 1 antagonist, in various in vitro and
in vivo models of fibrotic disease.

"Activation of the LPA1 receptor by LPA has been implicated in a number
of disease processes, including tissue fibrosis," said James Swaney, Ph.D.,
Director of Biology at Amira Pharmaceuticals. "With this new data, Amira's
orally available, proof-of-concept LPA1 receptor antagonists have now
displayed efficacy in a wide range of fibrotic models including lung, skin,
eye, liver and kidney."

Gretchen Bain, Ph.D., Executive Director of Biology at Amira
Pharmaceuticals, added, "In addition to the work described in this paper, we
have demonstrated that LPA promotes the transformation of fibroblasts to the
pro-fibrotic (myofibroblast) state stimulating the production of collagen 1,
a major component of fibrotic tissue. This process can be inhibited by an
LPA1 selective antagonist. Furthermore, LPA signaling facilitates the
fibroblast transformation independently of the pro-fibrotic molecule
TGF-beta, which indicates the potential for additivity to anti- TGF-beta
mechanisms."

Amira is currently sponsoring Phase I clinical studies of AM152, an
orally available LPA1 receptor antagonist.

About Amira

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Diego, Amira Pharmaceuticals is
a small molecule pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and
development of new drugs to treat inflammatory disease. Our discovery team is
building on unparalleled insights into bioactive lipid pathways and complex
signaling processes controlling many conditions including asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, fibrotic diseases and cancer. Amira combines
the rigor of a big pharmaceutical company with the ingenuity and energy of a
small company, creating an environment for efficient development of novel
compounds and effective pre-clinical and clinical program decisions. Amira
has a partnership with GlaxoSmithKline for the development of FLAP
(5-lipoxygenase activating protein) inhibitors in respiratory and
cardiovascular disease. For more information, visit
www.amirapharm.com.

Ian Stone of Russo Partners, +1-619-528-2220, ian.stone at russopartnersllc.com, for Amira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.