SAN DIEGO, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Trega Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRGA)
(formerly Houghten Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) today announced that five board
members were elected at its annual meeting of stockholders held yesterday.
Newly elected directors are Dr. Jeremy M. Levin, D.Phil., MB.BChir., 43, and
Anders Wiklund, 56.  Three other directors were reelected at the meeting.
Three remaining board seats were not up for reelection.
    Dr. Levin is the chief executive officer, president and chairman of Cadus
Pharmaceutical Corporation, a publicly traded biotechnology company focused on
drug discovery.  Prior to Cadus, Dr. Levin was vice president of corporate
development for IG Laboratories, Inc., a majority-owned subsidiary of Genzyme
Corporation.  During his career, Dr. Levin has served in a number of positions
at biotechnology companies and at major teaching hospitals in Europe.
    Mr. Wiklund is an advisor to the biotechnology industry and a senior vice
president of Biacore Holding, Inc., a supplier of analytical instruments to
the life sciences industry.  Mr. Wiklund held a number of senior executive
positions with the Pharmacia Group, including serving as president of
KabiVitrum, Inc., Kabi Pharmacia Inc. and Pharmacia Development Corporation
and as executive vice president of Pharmacia U.S. Inc.
    "Jeremy and Anders, with their extensive industry experience, are superb
additions to our board," said Robert S. Whitehead, president and chief
executive officer.  "Jeremy, who is well acquainted with the opportunities and
issues facing developing drug discovery companies, also has a strong corporate
development background.  Anders' major pharmaceutical company operational
skills and familiarity with a myriad of emerging discovery technologies will
also be enormously useful to Trega."
    Directors that were reelected include: James C. Blair, Ph.D., a general
partner of Domain associates; Harry D. Lambert, a partner of InnoCal
Associates, L.P. and Ronald R. Tuttle, Ph.D., formerly chief scientific
officer of Trega Biosciences.  Directors serving terms that will expire in
1998 are Cam L. Garner, Harvey S. Sadow, Ph.D. and Robert S. Whitehead.
    "Our retiring directors, Bill Comer, Greg Forrest and Richard Houghten
made important contributions during Trega's inception and early development.
We thank them for their counsel and ongoing support," added Whitehead.
    Trega Biosciences is a drug discovery company utilizing combinatorial
chemistry and other technologies to pursue the discovery of novel small-
molecule drug therapies.  The Company leverages its technology platform by
entering into pharmaceutical alliances, enabling partners to access Trega's
technologies in exchange for licensing fees and potential milestone payments
and royalties, or by establishing joint-discovery alliances with biotechnology
companies.  Trega also uses its drug discovery technologies in its internal
development programs.  HP 228, the company's lead compound, is in Phase II
trials for the treatment of inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
    Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters
discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, including whether any new discoveries will be made
from research collaborations, any proposed product can be successfully
formulated, scaled-up, developed, and commercialized, whether regulatory
approvals can be obtained, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and
other risks detailed from time to time in Trega's Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) filings.  These forward-looking statements represent Trega's
judgment as of the date of this release.  Actual results may differ materially
from those projected.  Trega disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to
update these forward-looking statements.

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