Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

10275 Science Center Drive
San Diego, CA 92121

USA

Phone: (858) 550-7500
Fax: (858) 550-1826
Email: investors@ligand.com
Web Site: http://www.ligan.com/

A. Company Profile

Ligand (NASDAQ:LGND) is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and markets innovative small molecule drugs for treatment of cancer.

B. Products

Product Pipelines

1. Ontak

Ontak, denileukin diftitox, is produced by genetically fusing protein from the diphtheria toxin to interleukin-2 (IL-2), a naturally occurring immune system protein. This stable, fusion protein targets cells with receptors for IL-2 on their surfaces, including malignant cells and some normal lymphocytes, resulting in cell death.

2. Targretin

Targretin, Bexarotene, selectively binds and activates retinoid X receptor subtypes (RXRa, RXRb, RXRg). RXRs can form heterodimers with various receptor partners such as retinoic acid receptors (RARs), vitamin D receptor, thyroid receptor, and peroxisome proliferator activator receptors (PPARs). Once activated, these receptors function as transcription factors that regulate the expression of genes that control cellular differentiation and proliferation. Bexarotene inhibits tumor growth.