TAP PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS LICENSES INVESTIGATIONAL ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION COMPOUND FROM FUJISAWA

LAKE FOREST, IL, November 9, 2000 - TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. today announced that it has in-licensed FR229934, an investigational compound being studied for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) from Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Under the license agreement, TAP has exclusive rights to develop this compound and market it on a worldwide basis, except for Japan, South Korea, China and the Republic of China (Taiwan).

FR229934, a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, was discovered at Fujisawa's research laboratories in Japan and is in preclinical development.

"Along with our currently marketed drug for prostate cancer, Lupron Depot®, and the development of UPRIMA® for erectile dysfunction, the in-licensing of FR229934 significantly enhances and builds upon TAP's strong position in urology," says Thomas Watkins, president of TAP. "Many men with ED are not being adequately treated with currently available therapies. TAP is encouraged by the compound's preliminary data, and we believe it has the potential to help men with ED."

Erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to attain and maintain an erection sufficient for intercourse. Approximately 30 million Americans suffer from some form of erectile dysfunction.

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 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, and PREVACID® (lansoprazole) for the treatment of various acid-related disorders including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and ulcers. TAP has also submitted a New Drug Application with the FDA for the cephalosporin antibiotic SPECTRACEF™ (cefditoren pivoxil), and is currently researching UPRIMA (apomorphine HCl tablets) sublingual for erectile dysfunction.