**Exhibit 31.1**

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**CERTIFICATION**

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I, Michael D. Loberg,Ph.D., certify that: 

 

#### **1.**                                       I have reviewed this Quarterly Report onForm 10-Q of NitroMed, Inc.; 

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#### **2.**                                       Based on my knowledge, this report does not containany untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material factnecessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances underwhich such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the periodcovered by this report; 

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#### **3.**                                       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, andother financial information included in this report, fairly present in allmaterial respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flowsof the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; 

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#### **4.**                                       The registrant’s other certifying officer and I areresponsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures(as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) for theregistrant and have: 

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##### a)                                      Designedsuch disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls andprocedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that materialinformation relating to the registrant, including its consolidatedsubsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularlyduring the period in which this report is being prepared; 

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##### b)                                     [Paragraphomitted in accordance with SEC transition instructions contained in SEC release34-47986]

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##### c)                                      Evaluatedthe effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures andpresented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of thedisclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by thisreport based on such evaluation; and 

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##### d)                                     Disclosedin this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financialreporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter thathas materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, theregistrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and 

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#### **5.**                                       The registrant’s other certifying officer and I havedisclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control overfinancial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee ofthe registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalentfunctions): 

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##### a)                                      Allsignificant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation ofinternal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely toadversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize andreport financial information; and 

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##### b)                                     Anyfraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees whohave a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financialreporting. 

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| Dated:  August 16, 2004 |                                   |
|------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|                         |                                   |
|                         | /s/ Michael D. Loberg                  |   |
|                         | Michael D. Loberg,  Ph.D.              |
|                         | President and Chief  Executive Officer |

 

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