Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SOMX)

[Camaro1093]

Somaxon Pharmaceuticals Appoints Chief Financial Officer and Announces Senior Leadership Promotions

SAN DIEGO, Apr 12, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SOMX),
a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the in-licensing, development and
commercialization of proprietary branded pharmaceutical products and late-stage
product candidates for the treatment of diseases and disorders in the central
nervous system therapeutic area, today announced the appointment of Tran B.
Nguyen as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The company also announced
other executive management team updates.

"Tran's finance experience in the life science industry makes him an excellent
addition to the Somaxon team," said Richard W. Pascoe, Somaxon's President and
Chief Executive Officer. "Tran's hiring rounds out our senior management team,
and enhances our ability to execute on our corporate strategy by focusing on our
key objectives of establishing a U.S. commercial partnership, building a U.S.
commercial presence and preparing to launch Silenor in the second half of 2010."

Mr. Nguyen brings to Somaxon over 10 years of finance experience primarily
focused in the life science industry. Mr. Nguyen was most recently Chief
Financial Officer of Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded
biopharmaceutical company that was acquired by Ligand Pharmaceuticals
Incorporated in January 2010. Prior to Metabasis, Mr. Nguyen was a Vice President
in the healthcare investment banking groups at Citi Global Markets, Inc. and
Lehman Brothers, Inc. where he successfully executed numerous capital raising and
strategic transactions for life science clients.

Central to the execution of Somaxon's strategy is an executive leadership team
capable of driving the company toward its long-term financial and strategic
goals. To that end, Somaxon also announced the following management updates, each
effective April 1, 2010:

-- Jeffrey Raser was promoted to the newly created role of Senior Vice President
and Chief Commercial Officer. In this role, Mr. Raser will be responsible for all
of Somaxon's sales, marketing, managed care and other commercial operations.

-- Brian Dorsey was promoted to Senior Vice President, Technical Operations. In
this role, Mr. Dorsey will manage all of Somaxon's activities relating to
research and development, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, manufacturing and
quality.

-- Matthew Onaitis was promoted to Senior Vice President and General Counsel. In
this role, Mr. Onaitis will manage all of Somaxon's legal, compliance,
intellectual property and business development activities.

About Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty
pharmaceutical company focused on the in-licensing, development and
commercialization of proprietary branded pharmaceutical products and late-stage
product candidates for the treatment of diseases and disorders in the central
nervous system therapeutic area. Somaxon's product Silenor(R) (doxepin) has been
approved by the FDA for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulty
with sleep maintenance.

For more information, please visit the company's web site at
http://www.somaxon.com.

Somaxon cautions readers that statements included in this press release that are
not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. For
example, statements regarding the potential commercialization of Silenor and the
potential to establish a commercial partnership or other strategic transaction
are forward-looking statements. The inclusion of forward-looking statements
should not be regarded as a representation by Somaxon that any of its plans will
be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this
release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in Somaxon's business,
including, without limitation, Somaxon's ability to successfully commercialize
Silenor; the potential to enter into and the terms of any commercial partnership
or other strategic transaction relating to Silenor; the scope, validity and
duration of patent protection and other intellectual property rights for Silenor;
whether the approved label for Silenor is sufficiently consistent with such
patent protection to provide exclusivity for Silenor; Somaxon's ability to
operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of
others; the market potential for insomnia treatments, and Somaxon's ability to
compete within that market; inadequate therapeutic efficacy or unexpected adverse
side effects relating to Silenor that could delay or prevent commercialization,
or that could result in recalls or product liability claims; the ability of
Somaxon to ensure adequate and continued supply of Silenor to successfully launch
commercial sales or meet anticipated market demand; other difficulties or delays
in development, testing, manufacturing and marketing of Silenor; the timing and
results of non-clinical studies and post-approval regulatory requirements for
Silenor, and the FDA's agreement with Somaxon's interpretation of such results;
Somaxon's ability to raise sufficient capital and meet its obligations to parties
under financing agreements, and the impact of any such financing activity on the
level of Somaxon's stock price; the impact of any inability to raise sufficient
capital to fund ongoing or planned operations; and other risks detailed in
Somaxon's prior press releases as well as in its periodic filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking
statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and
Somaxon undertakes no obligation to revise or update this press release to
reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. This caution is made under
the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

SOURCE: Somaxon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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