ContraVir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRV), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted antiviral therapies, announced that it has appointed former Bristol-Myers Squibb and SmithKline Beecham executive Tamar Howson to its Board of Directors, effective today. Ms. Howson has an extensive track record earned across a distinguished career of more than 25 years in corporate and business development.

"Tamar is an exceptional business development executive and I am personally excited to have her join the Board of Directors," said James Sapirstein, CEO of ContraVir. "ContraVir will benefit from having an experienced sounding board for future transactions, and Tamar's insight and guidance will be invaluable as we seek to cure hepatitis B through drug combinations involving our novel antiviral candidates."

Ms. Howson served previously as Senior Vice President of Corporate and Business Development at both SmithKline Beecham (now GSK) and Bristol-Myers Squibb as well as high-level positions at multiple other industry leaders. She has helped companies navigate external alliances, license negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital investments. In 1999, she was awarded Healthcare Businesswomen's Association's "Woman of the Year" award.

In addition to ContraVir, Ms. Howson currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International Partnership for Microbicides, Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Aradigm, and OXiGENE. Ms. Howson earned a B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering from Technion in Haifa, Israel, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from City College of New York, and an MBA in Finance, International Business and Marketing from Columbia University.

About ContraVir Pharmaceuticals

ContraVir is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of targeted antiviral therapies with a specific focus on developing a potentially curative therapy for hepatitis B virus (HBV). The Company is developing two novel anti-HBV compounds with complementary mechanisms of action: CMX157, a highly potent analog of the successful antiviral drug tenofovir currently in Phase 2a, which has demonstrated the potential for low, once a day dosing compared to Viread® and decreased systemic exposure, thereby potentially reducing renal and bone side effects; and CRV431, a next generation cyclophilin inhibitor with a unique structure that increases its potency and selective index against HBV. ContraVir is also developing Valnivudine ™ (formerly FV-100), an orally available nucleoside analogue prodrug for the treatment of herpes zoster, or shingles, in a Phase 3 clinical trial. In addition to direct antiviral activity, Valnivudine™ has demonstrated the potential to reduce the incidence of debilitating shingles-associated pain known as post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) in a Phase 2 clinical study. For more information visit www.contravir.com.