NEWTOWN, Pa., May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(Nasdaq: CGPI) announced today that it has signed an exclusive marketing
agreement with the Parke-Davis Division of the Warner Lambert Company to
promote Ponstel (mefenamic acid) to the professional dental community.
Ponstel is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indicated for the relief of
moderate pain.
    "Ponstel is an ideal drug for the short-term relief of moderate pain
resulting from various dental procedures," said Brian M. Gallagher, Ph.D.,
President and CEO of CollaGenex.  Its long history of safe and effective use
worldwide provides a strong foundation for its launch into the professional
U.S. dental market."  In 1996, Ponstel achieved worldwide sales of
$113 million.  It is among the leading nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
marketed in Japan.
    "We are pleased to enter into this relationship, and believe that
CollaGenex is well qualified to promote Ponstel to the professional dental
community," said Wayne Dickerson, Director, New Business Ventures for Parke-
Davis.
    CollaGenex also announced that it has formally deployed its sales force to
launch Ponstel.  "This is a significant milestone, initiating our transition
from a development stage company to a commercial entity," said Dr. Gallagher.
"It also provides the opportunity to establish our sales and marketing
presence in the professional dental community in anticipation of obtaining FDA
approval of Periostat(R), our novel and proprietary pharmaceutical therapy for
periodontal disease."  The Periostat NDA was submitted to the Food and Drug
Administration in August 1996.
    CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals is an emerging pharmaceutical company which is
developing and commercializing innovative proprietary medical therapies for
the treatment of periodontal disease and other pathologies.  The company's
core technology involves inhibiting the activity of certain enzymes that
destroy the connective tissues of the body.  In addition to periodontal
disease, the company and its collaborators are researching and developing
other potential applications of the core technology, including cancer
metastasis, wound healing, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis
and diabetic complications. Founded in 1992, the company completed an initial
public offering of two million shares of common stock in June 1996.
    This news release contains forward-looking statements and therefore it
necessarily involves risks and uncertainties.  Factors that could cause actual
events to differ from these forward-looking statements are set forth under the
caption "Risk Factors" in the company's prospectus dated June 20, 1996, which
is part of its registration statement on file with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.  There can be no assurance that the company will receive
regulatory approval to market any product or, if such approval is received,
that the product will be commercially successful.
    To receive additional information on CollaGenex, via fax, at no charge,
dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter code CGPI.

Link to this page: