Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Appoints Ron Bentsur Global Head of Investor Relations

BOSTON and JERUSALEM, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/- Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: KERX; AIM: KRX) announced today the appointment of Ron Bentsur as Head of Investor Relations.

"We are pleased that Ron Bentsur has accepted this appointment," said Morris Laster, M.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. "He brings a wealth of experience in the international technology sector, and I am sure he will make a major contribution to the future development of the Company."

Ron Bentsur joins Keryx from Leumi & Co. Underwriters Ltd., a subsidiary of the Bank Leumi Group, where he was a Director of International and Technology Investment Banking. Prior to this, Mr. Bentsur was Vice President, Investment Banking at ING Barings Furman Selz in New York. Mr. Bentsur holds an MBA from the New York University Stern Graduate School of Business and a BA Honors degree in Economics & Business Administration from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

"I am delighted to join Keryx at such an exciting time, as the Company continues to use its KinAce(TM) drug discovery technology to supplement its rich pipeline of drug targets, while also pursuing strategic research and development collaborations with pharmaceutical, genomics, and other life sciences companies," said Ron Bentsur.

"I look forward to effectively communicating Keryx's successes to our valued investors and others in the investment community."

Keryx uses its KinAce(TM) drug discovery platform, a proprietary bioinformatics-based approach, to identify potential drug leads targeting specific protein kinases. KinAce(TM) advantages include an increased hit-rate, reduced time to discovery, reduced toxicity, and greater versatility. Keryx's rich pipeline of drug candidates-across therapeutic areas including oncology, immunology and metabolic disease-reflects the validity and value of the KinAce(TM) platform. The Company expects that, pending regulatory approval, its lead drug candidate, KRX-123 for the treatment of hormone resistant prostate cancer, will enter Phase I/II clinical trials in Israel in 2001.

Keryx recently announced that it has secured approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to proceed to Phase III U.S. clinical trials for KRX-101 (sulodexide) for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Keryx is now designing a study protocol for submission to the FDA. KRX-101 is an in-licensed product from Alfa Wassermann.

Dr. Morris Laster, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., will present at the Robertson Stephens Annual Medical Conference at The Pierre Hotel in New York City at 8:30 AM on November 30, 2000. About Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals is building a pipeline of drug candidates that target protein kinases by applying its proprietary bioinformatics technology to genomics data. Kinases, which play a key role in the way cells communicate, are implicated in a wide range of diseases. Using its KinAce(TM) drug discovery platform technology, the Company has established a rich and diverse pipeline of drug candidates in oncology, immunology, metabolic, and other disease areas. The most advanced of these candidates, KRX-123, is scheduled to enter clinical trials for advanced prostate cancer in the first half of 2001. The Company is also developing a late stage, in-licensed product, KRX-101 (sulodexide), for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Keryx recently received FDA approval to submit a Phase III clinical trial protocol for KRX-101. Keryx is traded on NASDAQ (KERX) and AIM (KRX).

Web site address: www.keryxbiopharm.com

Statements contained or referenced in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, as the term is defined in the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "project", "intend", "plan", "believe" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance. Our actual results and the timing of certain events may differ significantly from the results discussed in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, the risks outlined in our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this filing or in our Registration Statement on Form S-1 include, among other things, statements relating to our drug development and regulatory strategy, growth strategy, use of proceeds, projected capital expenditures, research and development expenditures, other costs and expenses, revenue, profitability, and liquidity and capital resources.

CONTACTS

CONTACT: Robert Gallahue, 617-512-6883, or bobgallahue@mediaone.net, or Ron Bentsur, +972 2541 2700, or ron@keryxbiopharm.com, both of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals; or Harriet Ullman of Feinstein Kean Healthcare, 617-577-8110, or hullman@fkhealth.com; or Philip Ward or Charlotte Stone of Gavin, Anderson & Co., +44 20 7 457 2345, or cstone@gavinanderson.co.uk