Christopher Kurtz Joins Alexza Pharmaceuticals as Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Sustainment Engineering

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXA) announced today that Christopher Kurtz has joined the company as Vice President, Global Supply Chain and Sustainment Engineering. He will have primary responsibilities in the development and execution of Alexza’s global supply chain strategy to support the commercialization of Alexza’s pipeline of clinical product candidates. Alexza’s lead program, AZ-004 (Staccato(R) loxapine) is in Phase 3 clinical testing for the treatment of acute agitation in schizophrenic or bipolar disorder patients.

Mr. Kurtz was most recently Vice President of Research and Development and Director, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Development for Novo Nordisk Delivery Technologies, Hayward, California. Prior to his tenure at Novo, Mr. Kurtz held positions as Senior Director, Process Engineering for ALZA Corporation, a division of Johnson and Johnson from January to June 2006. He was previously Director, Operations Engineering and Director Manufacturing Engineering for Nektar Therapeutics, San Carlos, California from January 2001 to January 2006 and also held previous positions at PowderJect Pharmaceuticals, PLC and Monsanto, Inc. Mr. Kurtz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry from University of Colorado at Boulder.

"We are very pleased to welcome Christopher to Alexza and as a member of our Executive Team," said Michael Simms, Senior Vice President, Operations and Manufacturing. "His broad experience in working with external manufacturing partners to develop, scale-up and launch drug delivery-based products will be instrumental as Alexza rapidly moves toward commercialization of its pipeline."

Alexza Pharmaceuticals is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel, proprietary products for the treatment of acute and intermittent conditions. The Company’s technology, the Staccato system, vaporizes unformulated drug to form a condensation aerosol that allows rapid systemic drug delivery through deep lung inhalation. The drug is quickly absorbed through the lungs into the bloodstream, providing speed of therapeutic onset that is comparable to intravenous administration, but with greater ease, patient comfort and convenience.

Alexza has six product candidates in clinical development. Alexza’s lead program, AZ-004 (Staccato loxapine) for the treatment of acute agitation in schizophrenic or bipolar disorder patients, is in Phase 3 testing and has completed the enrollment of its first Phase 3 clinical trial. AZ-001 (Staccato prochlorperazine) for the acute treatment of migraine headaches has completed Phase 2 testing. AZ-104 (Staccato loxapine) for the acute treatment of migraine headaches and AZ-002 (Staccato alprazolam) for the acute treatment of panic attacks associated with panic disorder are in Phase 2 testing. Product candidates in Phase 1 testing are AZ-003 (Staccato fentanyl) for the treatment of breakthrough pain, which is partnered with Endo Pharmaceuticals in North America, and AZ-007 (Staccato zaleplon) for the treatment of insomnia. More information, including this and past press releases from Alexza is available online at http://www.alexza.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the development of the Company’s product candidates, projected clinical trial enrollment and data reporting timelines, and safety of the Company’s products and technologies. Any statement describing a product candidate or Alexza’s goals, expectations or beliefs is a forward-looking statement, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of developing and commercializing drugs. The Company’s forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they prove incorrect, would cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Alexza’s business are described in additional detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and the Company’s other Periodic and Current Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc.