RALEIGH, NC–(February 10, 2014) – DARA BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: DARA), an oncology supportive care specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to providing healthcare professionals a synergistic portfolio of medicines to help cancer patients adhere to their therapy and manage side effects arising from their cancer treatments, announced that the Company’s abstract entitled “CAPTURE (Compliance and Preference for Tamoxifen Registry) patient survey reveals potential strategies to improve long-term adherence to TAM based on choice: results of a large internet-based survey” has been accepted for poster presentation at the upcoming National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) 19^th Annual Conference: Advancing the Standard of Cancer Care™ — March 13 – 15, 2014 in Hollywood, FL.

The abstract has been selected for poster presentation during General Poster Session One on March 13, 2014. The lead author, Stefan Glück MD, PhD, FRCPC, Sylvester Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine and within the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) and a member of the CAPTURE Scientific Steering Committee, will present the poster.

Additionally, DARA’s abstract is expected to be published in an upcoming issue of JNCCN – Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, a peer-reviewed indexed medical journal that reaches more than 22,000 oncologists and other cancer care professionals across the United States. NCCN, a not-for-profit alliance of 23 of the world’s leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education, is dedicated to improving the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of cancer care so that patients can live better lives. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers.

“We are very pleased to have our CAPTURE abstract accepted by this prominent, oncology-focused organization,” commented David J. Drutz M.D., DARA’s CEO and Chief Medical Officer. “Our goal for initiating CAPTURE was to generate important, patient-centric information regarding demographics and medication compliance of breast cancer patients taking tamoxifen tablets, including their expressed potential preference for a liquid formulation. We look forward to reporting the data from this study and believe the key findings will raise awareness of opportunities to help improve long-term compliance with this life-saving therapy.”

CAPTURE was initiated in 2013, subsequent to DARA’s commercialization of Soltamox^® (tamoxifen citrate) oral solution, the only FDA-approved liquid formulation of tamoxifen citrate in the United States. A total of 626 women from 17 nationwide oncology practices who had been prescribed and were taking tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer completed the CAPTURE survey, providing investigators with valuable insight into adherence to prescribed tamoxifen tablets based on patient preference for a liquid formulation of tamoxifen or patient prevalence of swallowing difficulties.

Tamoxifen is indicated for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, adjuvant treatment of breast cancer, the reduction of risk of invasive breast cancer in women with ductal carcinoma in situ, and to reduce breast cancer incidence in high risk women. Currently, more than 1.7 million prescriptions of tamoxifen are written annually in the United States. Between 31 and 61 percent of patients fail to complete their prescribed course of treatment, thereby diminishing its benefits in reducing the risk of breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence.

The NCCN Annual Conference: Advancing the Standard of Cancer Care™ attracts more than 1,500 registrants from across the United States and the globe including oncologists (in both community and academic settings), oncology fellows, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals involved in the care of patients with cancer. Respected opinion leaders present the latest cancer therapies and provide updates on selected NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®), the data upon which the NCCN Guidelines^® are based, and quality initiatives in oncology. Topics change annually but focus on the major cancers and supportive care areas. The NCCN Annual Conference also includes case study discussion forums with experts from NCCN Member Institutions and roundtable discussions featuring the foremost professionals from the academic, patient advocacy, government, payer, industry, and business realms of cancer care.

Tamoxifen Important Safety Information

Tamoxifen citrate is contraindicated in women who require concomitant coumarin-type anticoagulant therapy, in women with a history of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolus, and in women with known hypersensitivity to the drug or any of its ingredients.

Serious and life-threatening events associated with tamoxifen in the risk reduction setting (women at high risk for cancer and women with DCIS) include uterine malignancies, stroke and pulmonary embolism.

The most common adverse reactions to tamoxifen treatment are (incidence greater than or equal to 20%) hot flashes, fluid retention, vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding, vasodilatation, nausea, irregular menses, weight loss, and musculoskeletal events.

Tamoxifen carries the following Black Box Warning:

WARNING – For Women with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) and Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer: Serious and life-threatening events associated with tamoxifen in the risk reduction setting (women at high risk for cancer and women with DCIS) include uterine malignancies, stroke and pulmonary embolism. Incidence rates for these events were estimated from the NSABP P-1 trial (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Clinical Studies, Reduction in Breast Cancer Incidence In High Risk Women). Uterine malignancies consist of both endometrial adenocarcinoma (incidence rate per 1,000 women-years of 2.20 for tamoxifen vs. 0.71 for placebo) and uterine sarcoma (incidence rate per 1,000 women-years of 0.17 for tamoxifen vs. 0.0 for placebo)*. For stroke, the incidence rate per 1,000 women-years was 1.43 for tamoxifen vs. 1.00 for placebo**. For pulmonary embolism, the incidence rate per 1,000 women-years was 0.75 for tamoxifen versus 0.25 for placebo**. Some of the strokes, pulmonary emboli, and uterine malignancies were fatal. Health care providers should discuss the potential benefits versus the potential risks of these serious events with women at high risk of breast cancer and women with DCIS considering tamoxifen to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. The benefits of tamoxifen outweigh its risks in women already diagnosed with breast cancer.

*Updated long-term follow-up data (median length of follow-up is 6.9 years) from NSABP P-1 study. See WARNINGS, Effects on the Uterus-Endometrial Cancer and Uterine Sarcoma in Prescribing Information. **See Table 3 under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Clinical Studies in Prescribing Information.

The full Prescribing Information for Soltamox is available at www.soltamox.com/prescribing-information.

About DARA BioSciences, Inc.

DARA BioSciences Inc. of Raleigh, North Carolina, is an oncology supportive care pharmaceutical company dedicated to providing healthcare professionals a synergistic portfolio of medicines to help cancer patients adhere to their therapy and manage side effects arising from their cancer treatments.

DARA holds exclusive U.S. marketing rights to both Soltamox® and Gelclair® . Soltamox® (tamoxifen citrate) oral solution, the only liquid form of tamoxifen, used for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Soltamox® offers a choice to patients who prefer or need a liquid form of tamoxifen. Gelclair^® is an alcohol-free bioadherent oral rinse gel for rapid and effective relief of pain associated with oral mucositis caused by chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Gelclair® should not be used by patients with a known or suspected hypersensitivity to the product or any of its ingredients. DARA licensed the U.S. rights to Soltamox^® from UK-based Rosemont Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., and Gelclair® from the Helsinn Group in Switzerland. Under an agreement with Innocutis, DARA also markets Bionect® (hyaluronic acid sodium salt, 0.2%) a topical treatment for skin irritation and burns associated with radiation therapy, in U.S. oncology/radiology markets. Bionect® should not be used by patients with known hypersensitivity to any of its ingredients. For further information on Gelclair^® and Bionect^® and the Full Prescribing Information please visit www.Gelclair.com and www.Bionect.com.

DARA is focused on expanding its portfolio of oncology supportive care products in the United States, via in-licensing and/or partnering of complementary late-stage and approved products. In addition, the company wishes to identify a strategic partner for the clinical development of KRN5500, currently in Phase 2 for the treatment of chronic, treatment refractory, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CCIPN). The FDA has designated KRN5500 as a Fast Track Drug, and DARA is seeking orphan status for the treatment of CCIPN.

In early 2014, DARA kicked off its new partnership with Alamo Pharma Services, a subsidiary of Mission Pharmacal, in deploying a dedicated 20-person national sales team in the U.S. oncology market. In addition to promoting DARA’s products Soltamox^® (tamoxifen citrate), Gelclair^® and Bionect^®, this specialized oncology supportive care sales team also will provide clinicians with access to three Mission Pharmacal products: Ferralet^® 90 (for anemia), BINOSTO^® (alendronate sodium effervescent tablet indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women), and Aquoral^® (for chemotherapy/radiation therapy-induced dry mouth).

Important Safety Information and full Prescribing Information for Mission Pharmacal’s products may be found at: www.Ferralet.com, www.Binosto.com, and www.Aquoral.com.

For more information please visit our web site at www.darabio.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

All statements in this news release that are not historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on the current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections regarding management’s beliefs and assumptions. In some cases, you can identify forward looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “hope,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “potential,” “continue,” and other similar terminology or the negatives of those terms. Such forward-looking statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially for DARA from those projected. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations described in these forward-looking statements are set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in DARA’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the SEC on February 4, 2014, and DARA’s other filings with the SEC from time to time. Those factors include risks and uncertainties relating to DARA’s current cash position and its need to raise additional capital in order to be able to continue to fund its operations; the stockholder dilution that may result from future capital raising efforts and the exercise or conversion, as applicable, of DARA’s outstanding options, warrants and convertible preferred stock; full-ratchet anti-dilution protection afforded investors in prior financing transactions that may restrict or prohibit DARA’s ability to raise capital on terms favorable to the Company and its current stockholders; the potential delisting of DARA’s common stock from the NASDAQ Capital Market; DARA’s limited operating history which may make it difficult to evaluate DARA’s business and future viability; DARA’s ability to timely commercialize and generate revenues or profits from Soltamox, Gelclair, Bionect or other products given that DARA only recently hired its initial sales force and DARA’s lack of history as a revenue-generating company; DARA’s ability to achieve the desired results from the agreements with Mission and Alamo; FDA and other regulatory risks relating to DARA’s ability to market Soltamox, Gelclair, Bionect or other products in the United States or elsewhere; DARA’s ability to in-license and/or partner products; the current regulatory environment in which DARA sells its products; the market acceptance of those products; dependence on partners and third-party manufacturers; successful performance under collaborative and other commercial agreements; DARA’s ability to retain its managerial personnel and to attract additional personnel; potential product liability risks that could exceed DARA’s liability coverage; potential risks related to healthcare fraud and abuse laws; competition; the strength of DARA’s intellectual property, the intellectual property of others and any asserted claims of infringement, and other risk factors identified in the documents DARA has filed, or will file, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Copies of DARA’s filings with the SEC may be obtained from the SEC Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. DARA expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in DARA’s expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statements are based. DARA BioSciences and the DARA logo are trademarks of DARA BioSciences, Inc.

Media Contact:
David Connolly
LaVoie Group
617-374-8800 ext. 104
dconnolly@lavoiegroup.com

Investor Contact:
Jenene Thomas
DARA BioSciences
908-938-1475
jthomas@darabio.com