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06/12/2005

Antisoma establishes Level One ADR (American Depositary Receipt) Program

London, UK: 6 December 2005 - Cancer drug developer Antisoma plc (London Stock Exchange: ASM) today announces the launch of its Level One American Depositary Receipt (ADR) Program. This will enable US investors in Antisoma to trade in a dollar-denominated security and is intended as a step towards a full listing of Antisoma’s shares on NASDAQ.

The trading symbol for Antisoma’s ADR is ATSMY and its CUSIP number is 03718Q109. Each Antisoma ADR represents 20 Antisoma ordinary shares as traded on the London Stock Exchange.

Antisoma has appointed The Bank of New York as the despositary bank for the ADR Program.

Raymond Spencer, Chief Financial Officer of Antisoma, said: “The ADR Program will enhance the trading options for our existing US investors and increase our access to the US capital markets as we work towards a full listing of our shares on NASDAQ.”

Enquiries:

Daniel Elger, Director of Communications
+44 (0)20 8799 8200
Antisoma plc

Mark Court/Lisa Baderoon/Rebecca Skye Dietrich
+44 (0)20 7466 5000
Buchanan Communications

Brian Korb
+1 212 477 9007
Seth Lewis
+1 781 685 4606
The Trout Group

About American Depositary Receipts

ADRs are commonly used to facilitate US investors investing in non-US companies that are not directly listed in the USA. An ADR is created when a broker purchases the company’s shares on the home stock market and delivers those to the depositary’s local custodian bank, which then instructs the depositary bank, The Bank of New York, to issue ADRs. ADRs may trade freely, just like any other security, in the US over-the-counter (OTC) market.

Antisoma Sponsored Level One American Depositary Receipts

Antisoma has established a Sponsored Level One ADR program, which is a convenient way to access the US market. The Company’s Level One ADRs will be traded in the US over-the-counter (OTC) market. The Company does not have to comply with US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or full Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure. Essentially, a Sponsored Level One ADR program allows non-US companies to enjoy the benefits of a publicly traded security in the US without changing their current reporting process.

US brokers may deal either directly in Antisoma shares on the LSE or in ADRs in the OTC market. Some US investors, particularly certain domestic mutual funds, are constrained from investing directly in non-US securities, and ADRs provide the opportunity for them to invest in LSE-listed Antisoma.

About Antisoma

Based in London, UK, Antisoma is a biopharmaceutical company that develops novel products for the treatment of cancer. Antisoma fills its development pipeline by acquiring promising new product candidates from internationally recognised academic or cancer research institutions. Its core activity is the preclinical and clinical development of these drug candidates. In 2002, Antisoma formed a broad strategic alliance with Roche to develop and commercialise products from Antisoma’s pipeline. Please visit www.antisoma.com for further information about Antisoma.

About Bank of New York

The Bank of New York Company, Inc. (NYSE: BK) is a global leader in providing a comprehensive array of services that enable institutions and individuals to move and manage their financial assets in more than 100 markets worldwide. The Company has a long tradition of collaborating with clients to deliver innovative solutions through its core competencies: securities servicing, treasury management, investment management, and individual & regional banking services. The Company’s extensive global client base includes a broad range of leading financial institutions, corporations, government entities, endowments and foundations. Its principal subsidiary, The Bank of New York, founded in 1784, is the oldest bank in the United States and has consistently played a prominent role in the evolution of financial markets worldwide.