Achillion Appoints Dr. Dennis Liotta to Board of Directors

Emory University Professor is Renowned Developer of HIV Drugs

• Press Release
• Source: Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc
• On 7:00 am EST, Thursday December 18, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Dec. 18, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NasdaqGM:ACHN - News), a leader in the discovery and development of small molecule drugs to combat the most challenging infectious diseases, today announced the appointment of Dennis C. Liotta, Ph.D. to its Board of Directors. Dr. Liotta will fill the vacancy created by the departure of Jean-Francois Formela, M.D.

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Dr. Liotta is the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Chemistry at Emory University, and has been a professor of organic chemistry at the university since 1976. Together with colleagues, Dr. Liotta was responsible for the discovery of the breakthrough HIV drugs 3TC and FTC, which are part of the majority of AIDS combination therapies used today. While at Emory, Dr. Liotta has been the recipient of many distinguished fellowships including those from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

In addition to chairing a number of worldwide conferences and symposia, Dr. Liotta is a member of the scientific advisory boards of Chimerix, iThemba Pharmaceuticals and MetaStatix. He is also a member of the board of directors of FOB Synthesis, Inc., which is collaborating with Achillion on an antibacterial research program. Dr. Liotta received a BA from Queens College and a Ph.D. from the City University of New York.

``We welcome Dr. Liotta to our Board, where his distinguished career and vast experience in medicinal chemistry will be valuable to Achillion as we advance our pipeline of product candidates into the clinic in 2009,'' said Michael Kishbauch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Achillion. ``We are confident that Dr. Liotta will enhance Achillion's reputation for innovative and high-quality scientific research as we continue to seek novel approaches to the most challenging infectious diseases.''

About Achillion

Achillion is an innovative pharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing important new treatments to patients with infectious disease. The company's proven discovery and development teams have advanced multiple product candidates with novel mechanisms of action. Achillion is focused on solutions for the most challenging problems in infectious disease -- hepatitis, resistant bacterial infections and HIV. For more information on Achillion Pharmaceuticals, please visit the company's web site at http://www.achillion.com.

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including statements with respect to Achillion's ability to discover and develop drug candidates. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are: unexpected regulatory actions or delays; uncertainties relating to results of clinical trials; and Achillion's ability to obtain additional funding required to conduct its research, development and commercialization activities. These and other risks are described in the reports filed by Achillion with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

All forward-looking statements reflect Achillion's expectations only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as reflecting Achillion's views, expectations or beliefs at any date subsequent to the date of this release. Achillion anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause these views, expectations and beliefs to change. However, while Achillion may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

ACHN-G

          Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
          Mary Kay Fenton
          (203) 624-7000
          mfenton@achillion.com

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