THE WOODLANDS, TX (August 2, 2004) – Lexicon Genetics Incorporated and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced the formation of a collaboration to develop new drugs for the treatment of high blood pressure. The alliance is designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of new drugs directed against hypertension targets discovered in Lexicon’s Genome5000 program.

In the collaboration, Takeda will have access to drug targets from Lexicon’s Genome5000 program that control blood pressure. Lexicon is using its proprietary gene knockout technology to rapidly discover the functions of 5,000 genes in the human genome. Takeda will be responsible for the screening, medicinal chemistry, preclinical and clinical development and commercialization of drugs directed against Lexicon’s novel blood pressure targets, and will bear all related costs.

Lexicon Genetics is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery of breakthrough treatments for human disease. Takeda, located in Osaka, Japan, is a research-based global company with its main focus on pharmaceuticals.