TAP PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INC. PARTNERS WITH AMERICAN GASTROENTEROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH INITIATIVE
-- TAP commits $1 million for gastorenterology educational grant --

LAKE FOREST, IL, May 23, 2000 - TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. announced today that it is partnering with the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) to begin a research program known as the AGA-TAP Pharmaceuticals Gastroenterology Research Initiative. Through this initiative, TAP has committed a $1 million educational grant to support several gastroenterological research-related programs.

The new AGA-TAP partnership also was announced by Ralph A. Giannella, M.D., President of the AGA, at the organization's Digestive Disease Week, May 21-24 in San Diego. During the first year's activities, the AGA-TAP partnership will sponsor an 18-month clinical trial examining the impact of digestive diseases in America and underwrite two Industry Research Scholar Awards, which will be presented to physicians working in the general area of gastroesophageal function and disease.

Additionally, the initiative will fund a new product, a CD-ROM entitled "AGA Posters of Distinction." This CD-ROM, which will allow physicians access to the year's top findings in gastroenterological research, will be available in August 2000. The AGA-TAP Gastroenterology Research Initiative will continue for three years.

"The new long-term relationship between the AGA and TAP is built on our common mission to improve the lives of the patients we serve and help increase awareness of digestive health issues," said Art Rice, Vice President, Marketing, TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. "This partnership, as well our continued research of PREVACID and additional compounds, illustrates TAP's ongoing commitment to the field of gastroenterology and our goal of providing physicians and patients with therapies for a broad range of gastrointestinal disorders."

PREVACID® (lansoprazole), a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), is one of the best-selling drugs in the pharmaceutical industry, and has played an important role in the treatment of a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), duodenal and active benign gastric ulcers, and hypersecretory conditions such as Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. PREVACID has the greatest number of indications and more administration options of any drug in its class. Currently, PREVACID makes up approximately 41 percent of all new PPI prescriptions.

Symptomatic response to therapy does not preclude the presence of gastric malignancy. PREVACID is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation. The most commonly reported adverse events include diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea.

About TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc.

TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. is a joint venture between Abbott Laboratories, headquartered in Abbott Park, Ill., and Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., of Osaka, Japan. TAP also markets Lupron Depot® (leuprolide acetate for depot suspension) for the palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer, management of endometriosis, anemia caused by uterine fibroids in combination with iron, and central precocious puberty. TAP has also filed New Drug Applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for UPRIMA® (apomorphine HCl tablets) sublingual for erectile dysfunction and the cephalosporin antibiotic SPECTRACEF™ (cefditoren pivoxil).