TMX group

QUEBEC CITY, Canada, June 27 /CNW Telbec/ - AEterna Zentaris Inc.
(TSX: AEZ; NASDAQ: AEZS) today announced that it presented Abstract No. P3-257
during a poster presentation entitled "ZEN-019, A Peptidomimetic from a New
Class of Orally Active GnRH (LHRH) Antagonists"(x), on Monday, June 26, 2006
in the Exhibit Hall of the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston,
Massachusetts, during the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO
2006).

(x)Authors: Klaus W. Paulini, Silke Baasner, Matthias Gerlach, Emmanuel
Polymeropoulos, Peter Schmidt, Michael Teifel and Eckhard G. Guenther.

ZEN-019, an oral LHRH antagonist peptidomimetic, demonstrated in vivo
activity by suppressing plasma testosterone levels. The Company's in vivo data
showed that using ZEN-019 with a single, oral administration (20 mg/kg) in
rats, lead to efficient and revocable suppression of plasma testosterone
levels for up to 12 hours. Furthermore, a repeat of the dosing of ZEN-019
increased the suppression time without accumulation in the plasma.
Dr. Jurgen Engel, Executive Vice President, Global R&D and Chief
Operating Officer at AEterna Zentaris commented, "We are very pleased to have
had the opportunity to present our positive in vivo data on ZEN-019 at ENDO
this week. ZEN 019, developed in our laboratory, is an innovative and
promising candidate for further development and as an oral application, this
new generation compound may prove to be very complementary to our LHRH
antagonist platform."

Background on LHRH antagonists and ZEN-019

ZEN-019 is part of AEterna Zentaris' ongoing drug development program on
LHRH antagonists. The Company's two lead products in this therapeutic approach
are: cetrorelix, marketed for in vitro fertilization under the brand name
Cetrotide(R) and in late-stage clinical development for benign prostate
hyperplasia (BPH) and for endometriosis, as well as ozarelix, in Phase 2 for
prostate cancer and BPH.
A major benefit of LHRH antagonists as opposed to (super) agonists is
their immediate, direct action and effectiveness in dose-dependently blocking
gonadotropin secretion which allows for a modulated intervention into the
release of sex steroids. This avoids the necessity to reach castration levels
of sex hormones under all circumstances, and leads to far less side-effects
and considerably better tolerability, particularly for the non-malignant
indications like endometriosis or BPH. In addition, good acceptability and
better compliance, especially in long-term treatment regimes, should be the
benefit of an oral application of an LHRH antagonist.

About AEterna Zentaris Inc.

AEterna Zentaris Inc. is a growing global biopharmaceutical company
focused on oncology and endocrine therapy with proven expertise in drug
discovery, development and commercialization.
AEterna Zentaris also owns 48.29% of the equity of Atrium Biotechnologies
Inc. (TSX: ATB) and 64.7% of its voting rights. Atrium is a developer,
manufacturer and marketer of science-based products for the cosmetics,
pharmaceutical, chemical and nutritional industries.
News releases and additional information are available at
www.aeternazentaris.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to
the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources
to pursue R&D projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical
studies, the ability of the Company to take advantage of business
opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, uncertainties related to the
regulatory process and general changes in economic conditions. Investors
should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian
and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and
uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are
cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. The Company does
not undertake to update these forward-looking statements.