Exhibit 20.1

Company Contact:           Louis R. Bucalo, M.D.
                           President and CEO
                           Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
                           415-244-4990

Investor Contact:          Keith Lippert/Evan Smith
                           Lippert/Heilshorn
                           212-838-3777

TITAN PHARMACEUTICALS LICENSES ILOPERIDONE
FROM HOECHST MARION ROUSSEL

     SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA, JANUARY 9, 1996 TITAN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
(NASDAQ NM: TTNP, TTNPU AND TTNPW), today announced that it has signed an
agreement with Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. for an exclusive worldwide license
to the antipsychotic agent Iloperidone.

     Iloperidone, which is expected to enter Phase III clinical trials during
the first half of 1997, is an antipsychotic agent in development for the
treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders. Iloperidones overall safety
and efficacy profile at its current stage of development compares favorably to
currently available therapeutics as well as other products under development.

     According to the World Health Organization, approximately 45 million people
worldwide suffer from some form of schizophrenia, one of the most chronic and
debilitating of all mental illnesses. The worldwide market for antipsychotic
agents, according to published reports, is predicted to be in excess of $4
billion by the year 2000.

     Iloperidone was initially developed by Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. and is
protected by U.S. patents and foreign patent applications.

     Dr. Louis R. Bucalo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Titan
Pharmaceuticals, Inc., commented, "We are extremely excited to obtain this
product opportunity and execute this agreement with Hoechst Marion Roussel.
Titan's product portfolio currently includes five products in clinical testing.
This sixth product, Iloperidone, further strengthens our product pipeline with
an additional later stage product that may be very competitive in a
multi-billion dollar market."

     Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that develops
proprietary therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, nervous system disorders


and other serious and life- threatening diseases. The company's operations are
currently conducted through five operating companies: Ansan (Nasdaq: ANSN,
ANSNU), Ingenex, ProNeura, Theracell and Trilex.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995: The statements which are not historical facts contained in this release
are forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including,
but not limited to, product demand and market acceptance risks, the effect of
economic conditions, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product
development, commercialization and technological difficulties, capacity and
supply constraints or difficulties, the results of financing efforts, actual
purchases under agreements, the effect of the Company's accounting policies, and
other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission
filings.
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