August 20, 2003

Neurochem Inc. files preliminary prospectus with Canadian and U.S. Securities Authorities for Common Share Offering.

- Neurochem, Inc. (TSX: NRM) - announced today that it has filed a short form preliminary prospectus with the Canadian securities regulators and a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with an offering of its common shares. The offering will consist of the initial public offering of Neurochem's common shares in the United States and a new issue of common shares in Canada. The offering is expected to be made primarily in the United States.

UBS Securities LLC will be acting as the sole book running underwriter in this offering, and Banc of America Securities Canada Co., RBC Dominion Securities Inc., CIBC World Markets Inc., Loewen, Ondaatje, McCutcheon Limited and Orion Securities Inc. will be acting as co-managers. When available, copies of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained from UBS Securities LLC, 299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171 or 1010 Sherbrooke Street West, suite 2510, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2R7.

Neurochem intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund clinical trials of its lead product candidates as well as to further complete pre-clinical and research and development programs. Neurochem also intends to use the proceeds for capital expenditures and the balance for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Neurochem is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for neurological disorders. The Company's staged pipeline of proprietary and disease-modifying products seeks to address unmet medical needs.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

About Neurochem

Neurochem is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for neurological disorders. The Company's staged pipeline of proprietary, disease-modifying, oral products addresses critical unmet medical needs. Fibrillex™, designated an orphan drug, is in a pivotal Phase II/III clinical trial for AA amyloidosis. Alzhemed™ has completed a Phase II clinical trial. Cerebril™ is in a Phase II trial for the prevention of hemorrhagic stroke caused by cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Neurochem is also developing a product for the potential treatment of epileptic seizures induced by traumatic brain injury. For additional information on Neurochem, please visit our website at: (www.neurochem.com).

Certain statements contained in this news release, other than statements of fact that are independently verifiable at the date hereof, may constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements, based as they are on the current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, many of which are beyond Neurochem's control. Such risks include but are not limited to: 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 as well as other risks included in public filings of Neurochem. Consequently, actual future results may differ materially from the anticipated results expressed in the forward-looking statements. The reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements included in this news release. These statements speak only as of the date made and Neurochem is under no obligation and disavows any intention to update or revise such statements as a result of any event, circumstances or otherwise.

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

275 Armand-Frappier
Laval (Quebec)
H7V 4A7
Tel: (450) 680-4500
Fax: (450) 680-4501

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