EXHIBIT 99.2

 INTRABIOTICS ENROLLS FIRST PATIENTS IN PIVOTAL TRIAL OF ISEGANAN FOR PREVENTION
                       OF VENTILATOR-ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA

    -- Novel Investigational Agent Could Address Growing Worldwide Problem --

PALO ALTO, CA, OCTOBER 7, 2003, IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:
IBPI) today announced that it has enrolled the first patients in a pivotal
clinical trial of its lead product, iseganan, in patients receiving mechanical
ventilation to reduce the risk of pneumonia (hereafter referred to as prevention
of ventilator-associated pneumonia - VAP).

This trial, which is the first of two identical pivotal trials required by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support registration in the United States,
will enroll 900 patients in five countries. To date, patients have been enrolled
in the United States, and the Company also expects to begin enrolling patients
in France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain over the next several weeks.

"We are thrilled that we were able to achieve this major milestone and get the
study underway so quickly after reaching our Special Protocol Assessment (SPA)
agreement with the FDA last month," said Dr. Henry Fuchs, President and CEO of
IntraBiotics. "We have qualified 45 sites to participate in the trial and we
look forward to working closely with our clinical investigators to expedite the
development of iseganan for the prevention of VAP, an unmet medical need that is
gaining recognition on a worldwide basis."

Iseganan: Novel Agent in Novel Class with Potential to Address Unmet Need of VAP

The Company has Fast Track designation status from the FDA for the development
of iseganan oral solution for the prevention of VAP. Iseganan is a
broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide that functions by a novel mechanism of
action, which may substantially reduce the likelihood of microbial resistance.
Iseganan is the first in a new class of investigational peptide drugs known as
protegrins, which are naturally-occurring substances found in mammals where they
form part of the first line of defense against invading bacteria and fungi.

"The high level of use of antibiotics in the intensive care unit has increased
the number and prevalence of bacteria that are resistant to today's antibiotics.
And with fewer new antibiotics available for treatment, the mandate to prevent
infections is becoming more imperative," said Dr. Marin Kollef, Associate
Professor and Director of Critical Care Medicine at Washington University's
Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

"Importantly, iseganan is not an antibiotic, but has broad-spectrum
antimicrobial properties that make it currently one of the most interesting
compounds in development for an oral-topical prevention strategy for VAP. Fear
of resistance is not likely to be an issue with iseganan," said Professor Didier
Pittet, Head of Infection Prevention & Control at Geneva University Hospitals,
Geneva, Switzerland.



ABOUT VENTILATOR-ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA (VAP)

Pneumonia is the most common infection among patients in the intensive care
unit. The longer a patient is ventilated, the higher the risk of developing VAP.
VAP occurs in approximately 15-30% of patients receiving mechanical ventilation
for more than 48 hours. Despite the use of potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics,
patients who develop VAP generally remain dependent on artificial ventilation
and remain in the intensive care unit for longer periods of time than patients
who do not develop VAP. As a consequence, studies have demonstrated that
patients who develop VAP can incur more than $40,000 in additional hospital
charges. The Company estimates that over one million patients annually are
mechanically ventilated for more than 48 hours in North America, Western Europe
and Japan combined, making VAP a significant unmet medical need.

ABOUT INTRABIOTICS

IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company primarily
focused on developing iseganan for the prevention of VAP. Additional information
is available at the Company's website: www.intrabiotics.com.

Certain statements in this press release contain forward-looking information and
are subject to risks and uncertainties, such as statements regarding product
development and clinical developments. As such, they are subject to the
occurrence of many events outside of IntraBiotics' control and are subject to
various risk factors that could cause IntraBiotics' results to differ materially
from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. The risk factors include,
without limitation, the inherent risks of product development failure;
uncertainty of the timing, cost, extent and results of clinical trials; risk of
delays in conducting clinical trials due to factors such as slower than expected
rate of patient recruitment, additional regulatory requests, inability to
manufacture sufficient quantities of materials used for clinical trials,
difficulties with clinical supplies or unforeseen safety issues; regulatory
risks, risks related to proprietary rights, market acceptance and competition;
and the Company's ability to raise capital through private or public financings
when needed or on favorable terms. These risk factors are more fully described
in documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, but
not limited to, our Form 10-Q for the Quarterly Period ended June 30, 2003 and
our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2002.

CONTACT:

Eric Bjerkholt (investors)
Senior Vice President & CFO
IntraBiotics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(650) 526-6840

Ian McConnell (media)
WeissCom Partners, Inc.
(415) 362-5018