May 6, 2002

Neurochem and Immtech enter into a testing and option agreement.
Evaluation of New Class of Compounds with Anti-Amyloid Potential.

Neurochem Inc. (TSX : NRM) and Immtech International, Inc., (NASDAQ : IMMT) announced today that the companies have entered into a testing and option agreement which allows Neurochem to evaluate a new class of compounds with potential anti-amyloid activity in exchange for an initial payment. The compounds were developed by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and Georgia State University. Immtech owns a worldwide license to the technology for such compounds through an agreement with a consortium of universities led by Dr. Richard Tidwell at UNC-CH.

"Our preliminary discovery work has indicated that this family of compounds has a good anti-fibrillogenic profile, which is very complementary to our comprehensive Alzheimer's Disease and central nervous system programs," said Dr. Louis R. Lamontagne, President and CEO of Neurochem. "Using our in-house expertise in laboratory and animal models to develop these compounds, we see the potential for expanded pharmaceutical applications in all our therapeutic target areas," he added.

Neurochem will evaluate the Immtech compounds for activity using proprietary laboratory and animal models of amyloid diseases. After the initial option period, Neurochem and Immtech may enter into a licensing agreement which would include potential milestone payments for compounds that Neurochem's researchers identify with significant anti-amyloid activity.

T. Stephen Thompson, President and CEO of Immtech International said, "We are very excited about the opportunity to work with Neurochem, a world leader in neurological and amyloid-related diseases. They are furthering development of our compounds in order to treat diseases that are debilitating to large populations around the world. This collaboration is a highly efficient way of developing new drugs needed in the neurological and anti-amyloid markets."

About Immtech International Inc.

Immtech International, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of fungal diseases, tuberculosis, hepatitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, and cancer. The Company has rights to a dicationic anti-microbial pharmaceutical platform and is conducting research to develop treatments for commercial use. These dication pharmaceuticals work by blocking life-sustaining enzymes from binding to the minor groove of an organism's DNA, thereby killing the infectious organisms that cause fungal, parasitic, bacterial and viral diseases. For further information, please visit the Company's web site at www.immtech-international.com.

About Neurochem

Neurochem is an industry leader in the development of therapeutic drugs and diagnostic tools for central nervous system and amyloid-related diseases associated with aging. The Company has built a strong product pipeline by developing a novel, proprietary series of compounds that inhibit the formation, deposition and toxic effects of amyloid fibrils within the body. Neurochem's therapeutic programs target Alzheimer's Disease, Hemorrhagic Stroke (due to Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy), Secondary Amyloidosis, Diabetes Type II and Epilepsy. Neurochem is using a multi-pronged approach towards the development of pharmaceuticals for Alzheimer's Disease, including glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) mimetics, a vaccine, an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective approaches as well as the development, in collaboration with Amersham Health, of a diagnostic imaging tool. The Company has advanced to date three drug candidates to clinical trials: Alzhemed™, for the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, Fibrillex™, for the orphan disease Secondary Amyloidosis, and Cerebril™, for Hemorrhagic Stroke. At present, the Company employs over 77 people and is located in Saint-Laurent, Canada (www.neurochem.com).

All of the statements contained in this news release, other than statements of fact which are independently verifiable at the date hereof, are forward-looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown. Some examples of known risks are: the impact of general economic conditions, general conditions in the pharmaceutical industry, changes in the regulatory environment in the jurisdictions in which Neurochem does business, stock market volatility, fluctuations in costs, and changes to the competitive environment due to consolidation or otherwise. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements.

For further Information, please contact:
Dr. Lise Hébert
Vice President, Corporate Communications
lhebert@neurochem.com

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Laval (Quebec)
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Tel: (450) 680-4500
Fax: (450) 680-4501

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