Tercica Added to the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tercica, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRCA) announced today that it will be added to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (R) (NASDAQ:NBI) effective with the market open on May 23, 2005. Membership in the Index is determined primarily by specific eligibility criteria, including market value, average daily share volume and seasoning as a public company, among other criteria. All securities in the Index are listed on the NASDAQ National Market. "Tercica is pleased to be included in the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index," stated Tim Lynch, Chief Financial Officer of Tercica. "We believe this addition will enhance Tercica's visibility with the investment community at this particularly exciting time in the Company's history." The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently accepted Tercica's NDA for Increlex with a Priority Review. The Company is preparing for a potential product launch for Increlex in January 2006. Launched in 1993, the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index includes companies that are classified as pharmaceutical or biotechnology by the FTSE(TM) Global Classification System. The Index is ranked on a semi-annual basis in May and November and is the basis for the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index Fund(SM) (AMEX:IBB). About Increlex(TM) Tercica, Inc., acquired exclusive rights to develop, commercialize and manufacture Increlex from Genentech, Inc. Tercica currently is conducting a broad-scale Phase IIIb clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Increlex in children with Primary IGFD. These patients will have less severe disease than the patients in Tercica's Phase III studies included in the company's NDA. About Tercica Tercica, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products to improve endocrine health. The company's first product candidate, Increlex(TM) (mecasermin (rDNA origin) injection), or recombinant human insulin-like growth factor-1 (rhIGF-1), is being developed for the treatment of short stature and associated metabolic disorders. For further information on Tercica, please visit http://www.tercica.com/. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the historical statements contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation, that the Company is preparing for a potential product launch for Increlex(TM) in January 2006. Because Tercica's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include without limitation: (1) those risks and uncertainties disclosed from time to time in reports filed by Tercica with the SEC, most recently Tercica's Form 10-Q filed on May 16, 2005; and (2) that there would be no product launch if the FDA does not grant Tercica marketing approval, grants Tercica marketing approval covering so few patients that it is not commercially reasonable for the Company to launch, or grants Insmed Incorporated's product marketing exclusivity under the Orphan Drug Act that would block Tercica from being able to market or sell its product. These statements are based on information as of May 17, 2005, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement. DATASOURCE: Tercica, Inc. CONTACT: Kim Kraemer, Vice President, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Tercica, Inc., +1-650-624-4949, or Web site: http://www.tercica.com/

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