AMED Amedeo Res

RNS No 8314n
CHIROSCIENCE GROUP PLC
15 June 1999
 

              Chiroscience Concludes U.S. Marketing Agreement
                  with Purdue Pharma L.P. for Chirocaine
 
Cambridge, UK, June 15, 1999 - Chiroscience Group plc announced today that
it has signed an exclusive license agreement covering the United States
marketing of its long acting local anaesthetic, Chirocaine
(levobupivacaine) with Purdue Pharma L.P, a leader in the field of pain
management. This agreement forms a key element of Chiroscience's global
marketing arrangements for Chirocaine which is indicated for both
anaesthesia and pain management.
 
Purdue Pharma L.P. is one of the fastest growing pharmaceutical companies
in the U.S. with sales growth of 46% in 1998 bringing total sales to $600
million.  Purdue's sales in the U.S. are expected to surpass $800 million
in 1999. The company's lead pain management product OxyContin), (oxycodone
hydrochloride controlled-release), which was developed internally at
Purdue and is co-promoted with Abbott Laboratories, has been particularly
successful. In 1998 U.S. sales of OxyContin more than doubled to over
$300m. U.S. sales of OxyContin in 1999 are expected to exceed $500m. This
growth along with the success of MS Contin (morphine sulfate controlled-
release) has given Purdue the leading position in the $765m U.S. market
for non-injectable strong opioid analgesics.
 
Purdue's sales and marketing resources have been expanded rapidly in
recent years and now comprise a 696 person field sales organisation
calling on primary care, speciality, and hospital-based physicians, with
speciality sales teams covering managed care and the nursing home/hospice
sector.
 
Under the terms of the agreement, Purdue will be the exclusive marketer
and distributor of Chirocaine in the U.S., and Chiroscience will share
equally in the profits generated from Chirocaine in the U.S. market.  This
50:50 profit sharing structure means that once the initial marketing costs
needed to establish the product have been absorbed, Chiroscience expects
to make higher returns from Chirocaine in the U.S. than would have been
achieved under a normal royalty deal.
 
Dr John Padfield, Chief Executive of Chiroscience Group plc commented:
 
"This agreement with Purdue marks an important part of our global
marketing platform for Chirocaine. We are extremely pleased that
Chirocaine will be sold by Purdue, a company whose highly committed
salesforce has clearly demonstrated its ability to maximise the potential
of pain management products in the U.S. market. We believe that this deal
which delivers an equal share of the profits will provide Chiroscience
with significant returns from Chirocaine's anticipated success in the
U.S."
 
Michael Friedman, Group Vice President of Purdue Pharma L.P. commented:
 
" We are very excited about the potential for Chirocaine to enhance
further our pain management franchise.  Our leading position in this
market, which has been established based on our proprietary products
OxyContin and MS Contin, will be strengthened by this agreement with
Chiroscience."
 
For further information contact:
Dr John Padfield, Chief Executive          Giles Sanderson
Dr Andy Richards, Executive Director,      Victoria Springett
Business Development                       Financial Dynamics
David Dible, Head of Media and Investor    Tel: +44 (0)171 831 3113
Relations
Chiroscience Group plc
Tel: +44 (0)1223 420430
http://www.chiroscience.com                
                                           
Michael Friedman, Group Vice President
Purdue Pharma L.P.
Tel: 1-203-854-7290
                                               
 
Notes to Editors
Chiroscience Group plc is an emerging pharmaceutical company with two
distinct parts; Chiroscience R&D, the company's core pharmaceutical
products business, and the specialist service businesses, ChiroTech and
Rapigene.  Chiroscience R&D uses its 'gene-to-drug' skills base to
discover and develop innovative small-molecule pharmaceuticals for the
treatment of inflammation, pain, cancer, osteoporosis and auto-immune
disease.  Chirocaine, its long-acting local anaesthetic is close to
market.  ChiroTech is a profitable business that is a world leader in the
provision of specialist chiral chemistry services and products.  Rapigene
is commercialising its Masscode system for high-throughput genetic
measurement and analysis.
 
Chiroscience Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is based
in Cambridge and Stevenage, UK, and Seattle, Washington, USA.  Additional
information on Chiroscience can be accessed on the company's web site:
http://www.chiroscience.com.
 
Purdue Pharma L.P., headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, U.S and its
associated companies, including the Mundipharma companies and Napp
Pharmaceutical Group, Ltd., comprise a privately-held, worldwide
pharmaceutical network with discovery, development, manufacturing,
marketing and distribution capabilities. The companies maintain a leading
presence in the field of pain management with their products OxyContin,
(oxycodone hydrochloride controlled-release) tablets and MS Contin
(morphine sulfate controlled-release) tablets. The network also includes a
biologic therapeutics business, Purdue BioPharma L.P., based in Princeton,
New Jersey, which is focused on the development of antibody-based
therapeutics and vaccines.
 

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