CaPSURE™ SCHOLARS PROGRAM ANNOUNCES 2005 RESEARCH GRANT WINNERS

San Antonio, May 25, 2005 - The University of California, San Francisco, announced today the first annual scholarship recipients for its CaPSURE™ (Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor) Scholars Program in Prostate Cancer Outcomes Research. The one-year scholarships will enable seven leading researchers to develop studies to advance prostate cancer research in conjunction with senior CaPSURE investigators.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death due to cancer among American men. More than 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed annually, and the disease causes approximately 30,350 deaths each year.

"CaPSURE investigators have published insightful, groundbreaking articles and presented more than 60 papers on important observational data on prediction of prostate cancer outcomes and quality of life," said Peter Carroll, M.D., of CaPSURE. "We encourage medical students and junior researchers to present their research ideas with the goal of developing innovative prostate cancer care, as well as shaping and accomplishing their career goals in the field."

The seven scholarship winners are: Piyush K. Agarwal, M.D., Case Western Reserve University; Keith Bellizzi, Ph.D., MPH, National Cancer Institute; Stephen Boorjian, M.D., Cornell University; O. Kenneth Macdonald, M.D., University of Utah; Charles D. Scales, Jr., M.D., Duke University; Jay B. Shah, M.D., Columbia University; and Jonathan Wright, M.D., MS, University of Washington. Each winner will receive a $2,500 stipend for travel expenses, so that he may present the study results at a national research conference. Results also will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The winning proposals were reviewed and selected by a committee of principal CaPSURE investigators. Scholars will create their research plans through mentor programs conducted via e-mail, telephone consultations, and in-person meetings as needed. CaPSURE Scholars Program scholarships will be offered each year to qualified residents, medical students, or fellows at accredited U.S. training institutions. The Scholars Program is underwritten by TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc.

"We are proud to support these exciting studies that examine new innovations in prostate cancer treatments and strengthen CaPSURE's breadth of information on treating this disease," said Stuart Atkinson, M.D., senior scientific director, head of urology therapeutic area, TAP. "For 10 years, we've made our sponsorship of this program a priority because of its important role in advancing the prostate cancer community."

CaPSURE™ Marks Ten Years of Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Data

June marks the 10th anniversary of the first patient enrollment in the CaPSURE database. Physicians participating in the program provide a comprehensive clinical assessment of their patients over the course of treatment - including method of diagnosis, pathological staging, medications and the results of all procedures and lab tests. In addition to the clinical data provided by physicians, patients contribute data about their quality of life and satisfaction with care. The resulting data is held without patient identifiers to ensure patient privacy and objective research.

Patient questionnaires address side effect issues such as urinary and sexual function, lifestyle modification needed after diagnosis or treatment of prostate cancer, as well as providing information about the patient's satisfaction with his medical care. In total, the CaPSURE database captures information on approximately 1,000 physician- and patient-reported variables.

About CaPSURE™

CaPSURE™ is a longitudinal, observational database of more than 11,000 patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer. The project began in 1995 and currently enrolls patients from 31 sites across the United States (including 26 community urology practices, three academic medical centers and two VA hospitals). Patient data is held without patient identifiers to ensure privacy and objective research.

The CaPSURE project has made substantial contributions with research that expands the knowledge of prostate cancer risk prediction, outcomes, and quality of life. The CaPSURE database is a research collaboration between TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. and the University of California, San Francisco, Department of Urology.

About UCSF

The University of California, San Francisco (www.ucsf.edu) is one of the leading biomedical research and health science education centers in the world. Its school of medicine consistently ranks in the top 10 medical schools in the U.S., ranks fourth in National Institutes of Health dollars awarded, and includes three faculty members named as Nobel Prize winners.