Galapagos extends target discovery alliance with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics

    Mechelen, Belgium and  Bethesda, Maryland,  USA; 22  November 2006  -
Galapagos NV (Euronext & LSE: GLPG) announced today the extension  of
the target discovery alliance  between its service division  BioFocus
DPI and  Cystic Fibrosis  Foundation Therapeutics,  Inc. (CFFT),  the
drug discovery  and  development  affiliate of  the  Cystic  Fibrosis
Foundation.   This 15-month  extension exceeds  ¤800,000 in  research
fees and builds further on the alliance initiated in April 2005.   As
recently presented at the 20th Annual North American Cystic  Fibrosis
Conference in Denver,   BioFocus  DPI is  applying its  SilenceSelect
adenoviral library and  expertise in assay  design to discover  novel
drug targets for the development of new cystic fibrosis therapies.

"The project  to  discover  novel  targets  for  cystic  fibrosis  is
proceeding very well,  and we  are therefore pleased  and proud  that
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics  has extended the alliance.
This will enable  BioFocus DPI  to deliver validated  targets as  the
basis for the development of new medicines," said Onno van de Stolpe,
Chief Executive Officer of Galapagos.  "It is particularly gratifying
that our  target  discovery engine  is  being applied  to  the  unmet
medical needs addressed  by patient  foundations such  as the  Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation."

"We are pleased with the quality  of the results achieved to date  in
the alliance.  BioFocus DPI's innovative target discovery platform is
poised to  deliver  promising targets  for  the treatment  of  cystic
fibrosis," said  Robert J.  Beall, Ph.D.,  president and  CEO of  the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.   "Our interactions  with this team  have
been very positive  and bode well  for a successful  outcome of  this
alliance."

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis  (CF) is  a genetic  disease affecting  approximately
30,000 children and adults in the  United States alone.  A  defective
gene causes the body to  produce abnormally thick, sticky mucus  that
blocks the airways, leading to life-threatening lung infections,  and
that obstructs the pancreas, causing difficulty absorbing food.   The
median life  expectancy  of  CF  patients  has  improved  from  early
childhood to  the mid-30s  today, but  many individuals  battle  lung
disease for years.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and CFFT

The mission  of  the Cystic  Fibrosis  Foundation is  to  assure  the
development of the means  to cure and control  CF and to improve  the
quality of  life for  those  with the  disease.   With  money  raised
through donations  from  individuals,  corporations  and  foundations
since its establishment in 1955, the CF Foundation supports  research
and care to continue adding tomorrows every day to the lives of those
with CF.

CFFT is the  non-profit drug discovery  and development affiliate  of
the CF Foundation.  CFFT  supports and governs activities related  to
CF drug discovery through drug development and clinical evaluation.
The  CF  Foundation  provides  support  to  fund  CFFT's  operations,
specifically  the  Therapeutics  Development   Program.    For   more
information about CF, the Cystic  Fibrosis Foundation or CFFT,  visit
www.cff.org.

About Galapagos

Galapagos is a publicly traded, genomics-based drug discovery company
(Euronext Brussels,  GLPG;  Euronext Amsterdam,  GLPGA,  London  AiM:
GLPG) that has  drug discovery programs  based on proprietary,  novel
targets in bone and joint diseases - osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and
rheumatoid  arthritis.      Galapagos   offers  a   full   suite   of
target-to-drug discovery products and services to pharmaceutical  and
biotech companies  through its  division BioFocus  DPI,  encompassing
target discovery and drug discovery  services through to delivery  of
pre-clinical  candidates.    In   addition,  BioFocus  DPI   provides
adenoviral reagents for rapid identification and validation of  novel
drug targets and  compound libraries for  drug screening.   Galapagos
currently employs  more  than 330  people,  including 144  PhDs,  and
operates facilities in seven  countries, with global headquarters  in
Mechelen, Belgium.  More information about Galapagos and BioFocus DPI
can be found at www.glpg.com.

CONTACT

Galapagos NV
Onno van de Stolpe, CEO
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

Cystic                                                       Fibrosis
Foundation
Suzanne Pattee
VP,           Public           Policy           and           Patient
Affairs
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

Laurie Fink
Director of Media Relations
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

This  release  may  contain  forward-looking  statements,  including,
without  limitation,  statements  containing  the  words  "believes,"
"anticipates," "expects," "intends,"  "plans", "seeks,"  "estimates,"
"may,"  "will,"  "could,"  and   "continues,"  as  well  as   similar
expressions.  Such forward-looking  statements may involve known  and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which might cause  the
actual results, financial condition,  performance or achievements  of
Galapagos, or industry results, to  be materially different from  any
historic or  future  results, financial  conditions,  performance  or
achievements   expressed   or   implied   by   such   forward-looking
statements.  Given these uncertainties, the reader is advised not  to
place any undue reliance on  such forward-looking statements.   These
forward-looking statements speak only as  of the date of  publication
of this document.   Galapagos expressly  disclaims any obligation  to
update any  such  forward-looking  statements  in  this  document  to
reflect any change  in its  expectations with regard  thereto or  any
change in  events,  conditions or  circumstances  on which  any  such
statement is based, unless required by law or regulation.

SilenceSelect® is a registered trademark  of Galapagos NV and/or  its
affiliates.

- ---END OF MESSAGE---






Copyright © Hugin ASA 2006. All rights reserved.