FibroGen is first to bring synthetic human collagens to the market

South San Francisco, CA - (April 3, 2000) - FibroGen Inc., today announced the launch of a web-based e-commerce site to sell the Company's proprietary recombinant human collagens. The availability of these products is the first time scientists will have the opportunity to incorporate well characterized, reproducible human sequenced collagens into their testing systems. The products are an alternative to the animal and human placenta-derived products currently used by researchers worldwide. Initially, FibroGen will offer two of the 20 known human collagens through its web site: collagen type I and collagen type III. FibroGen intends to expand the portfolio of collagens and other products offered as customer demand necessitates.

FibroGen's technology allows for the production of collagens essentially identical to the naturally occurring collagens. Although actively pursued, creation and manufacture of such collagens was not possible prior to advances made by FibroGen's scientists and collaborators.

"This commercial sales launch of our synthetic collagens is an important milestone in the development pathway of the FibroGen Group of Companies. We are pleased to bring these products to our customers through an informative web-enabled platform." said Thomas B. Neff, Chief Executive Officer, FibroGen Inc. "Our web initiative will be additive to our Feasibility Assessment Program efforts which have allowed numerous companies the opportunity to explore the benefits of synthetic human collagens and gelatin in their currently marketed and development stage products."

Each year over 250,000 metric tons of animal-derived collagen and gelatin are used as components in many common products including: medical devices and their coatings; encapsulation of pharmaceuticals; vaccine stabilizers; wine; ice cream; cosmetics, such as lipstick; film; semi-conductors and water purifiers. The animal-derived components cause concern for regulatory bodies worldwide as these products are produced from slaughterhouse remnants of cows and pigs. Remnants from diseased animals have been implicated as the likely source of Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease contamination that has been linked to the deaths of at least 40 people throughout Europe.

Customers should log-on to FibroGen's website at www.fibrogen.com and select "reagents" in order to begin the purchase process. Customers without web access may contact the Company's Reagent Sales Customer Service Department at 1 800-720-7203. FibroGen's current products are intended for laboratory research purposes only and are not to be used in humans.

FibroGen, Inc. has leveraged its expertise and intellectual property by creating a business model driven by the near-term market introduction of recombinant collagens and gelatins with longer-term drug development programs addressing major unmet medical needs in dermal scarring, deep organ fibrosis and tissue regeneration. Current corporate collaborations include an agreement with Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. of Japan to develop novel therapeutics to prevent scarring and eventual loss of kidney function, a leading cause of death among patients with diabetes. More information on FibroGen is available at the corporate web site http://www.fibrogen.com. FibroGen Europe Ltd., headquartered in Oulu, Finland, is a subsidiary of FibroGen, Inc., South San Francisco, California.