Exhibit No. 99
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[TRIMERIS LOGO APPEARS HERE]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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                                          Contact: Robin Fastenau
                                                   Corporate Communications Mgr.
                                                   Trimeris, Inc.
                                          Phone:   (919) 419-6050


               TRIMERIS ANNOUNCES $41 MILLION PRIVATE PLACEMENT OF
                                  COMMON STOCK

Durham, NC, January 24, 2002 -- Trimeris, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRMS) today announced
that it has entered into definitive purchase agreements to sell approximately
1.27 million shares of newly issued common stock. The private placement is
expected to raise net proceeds of approximately $41 million. Completion of the
private placement is subject to customary closing conditions.

Net proceeds from the private placement are expected to be used to fund the
clinical development of Trimeris' product candidates, T-20 and T-1249, to fund
increased research and development, to provide working capital and for general
corporate purposes.

The securities sold in this private placement have not been registered under the
Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or sold in the United States in
the absence of an effective registration statement or exemption from
registration requirements.

Trimeris Safe Harbor Statement

Except for any historical information presented herein, matters presented in
this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties. The results of Trimeris' previous clinical trials are not
necessarily indicative of future clinical trials, and future results could
differ materially from the results presented herein. Factors that could cause or
contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those discussed
in the "Risk Factors" section included in Trimeris' filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

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