EATONTOWN, N.J., Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation
(Amex: RPC) announced today that it has entered into an agreement for future
distribution in Korea of  its platelet reducing drug Agrylin(R) (anagrelide
hydrochloride).
    Roberts said that Yuhan Corporation, a pre-eminent Korean pharmaceutical
company, has signed an agreement for exclusive distribution rights for Agrylin
in that market.  Roberts further noted that Yuhan has agreed to pursue the
drug registration process necessary for securing regulatory approval to market
Agrylin in Korea.  Roberts said it has received an up-front payment from
Yuhan, but financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
    Agrylin is the only drug cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for the treatment of thrombocythemia (elevated platelet counts), secondary to
myeloproliferative disorders, to reduce the platelet count and the risk of
thrombosis (blood clotting) and to ameliorate associated symptoms including
thrombo-hemorrhagic events (e.g., heart attack and stroke).
Myeloproliferative disorders include essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia
vera and chronic myelogenous leukemia.
    Roberts noted that clinical data previously used in successfully achieving
U.S. marketing clearance for Agrylin would be employed in pursuing the drug's
approval in Korea.
    "In the past couple of years, Roberts significantly enhanced its growth
potential with the U.S. launch of its first two pipeline products Agrylin and
ProAmatine(R) while also acquiring U.S. marketing rights to Pentasa(R)," said
John T. Spitznagel, Roberts' President and CEO.  "Of these, Agrylin is the
first Roberts' developed product with worldwide potential and, as is evident
from today's announcement and from the drug's prior approvals in the U.S.,
Canada and Israel, we are committed to positioning Roberts for growth in the
international pharmaceutical market."
    Mr. Spitznagel continued by noting "Our new product pipeline includes
several late-stage development compounds representing important new product
opportunities, both in the U.S. and foreign markets.  Currently, three
compounds, in or nearing Phase III clinical development, have a combined
future sales potential estimated at over $500 million in the U.S.  Two of
these also have worldwide potential, namely: Dirame(R), a potent analgesic,
and RL0903, a new and potentially important urology/oncology agent.  The
third, Emitasol(R), is a unique intranasal anti-emetic recently licensed from
RiboGene (Amex: RBO) for which we have exclusive rights in Canada and Mexico
as well as the U.S."
    "While anticipated market penetration of new products such as Agrylin,
ProAmatine and Pentasa make us optimistic about Roberts' nearer term growth
prospects, we are equally optimistic about our longer term outlook given the
breadth and strength of our development pipeline," concluded Mr. Spitznagel.
    Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation, with operating subsidiaries in the
United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, focuses on value-added specialty
pharmaceuticals in the therapeutic categories of gastroenterology, urology,
oncology/hematology, and cardiology/neurology.  Roberts actively pursues its
strategy of Search & Develop to identify and acquire novel post-discovery drug
candidates to advance through late-stage clinical development while also
pursuing opportunities to acquire and enhance the potential of commercially
available specialty medicines.
    This and past press releases of Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation are
available through the Internet at the Roberts' home page at
http://www.robertspharm.com.
    This release contains forward looking statements which are based on
assumptions and external factors, including assumptions relating to, but not
limited to regulatory action, product pricing, competitive market conditions,
unaudited financial data, new product development and other risks or
uncertainties detailed from time to time in Roberts filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.  These forward-looking statements
represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release and any
changes in the assumptions or external factors could produce significantly
different results.

Link to this page: