XTL BIOPHARMACEUTICALS TRANSFERS HEPEX-B PROGRAM TO CUBIST PHARMACEUTICALS

XTL Biopharmaceuticals today announced that the transition of HepeX-B development activities from XTLbio to Cubist Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: CBST) has been completed, and that, accordingly, Cubist will not make collaborative support payments which would otherwise have been due to XTLbio in 2005 of $1 million. The collaborative support payments were established to cover XTLbio overhead associated with managing the HepeX-B program. Cubist will reimburse XTLbio for all direct costs associated with the program incurred at the request of Cubist.

Globes Online (http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=943174&fid=942)