Anacor Files Registration Statement for Initial Public Offering

Palo Alto, Calif.
August 31, 2007

Anacor Pharmaceuticals announced today that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of shares of its common stock. All of the shares in the proposed offering are being sold by Anacor.

The underwriters of the offering will be Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated as sole book runner, Cowen and Company, LLC as co-lead, and Pacific Growth Equities, LLC and Needham & Company, LLC as co-managers. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined.

The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. When available, a copy of the preliminary prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated by emailing prospectus@morganstanley.com, or by contacting the prospectus department at Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 180 Varick, New York, NY 10014, telephone (866) 718-1649.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. This registration statement is available on the Securities and Exchange Commission website at http://edgar.sec.gov. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

About Anacor Pharmaceuticals
Anacor, a privately held, clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, is developing novel product candidates for inflammatory and infectious diseases based on its proprietary, small-molecule, boron-based chemistry. AN2690, Anacor's lead product, is in Phase 2 trials for onychomycosis, a fungal infection of nails and nailbeds. Anacor has entered into an exclusive, worldwide agreement with Schering-Plough Corporation to develop and commercialize the drug. Anacor has a robust pipeline of other anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial compounds, including AN2728 and AN0128.