EATONTOWN, N.J., July 17 /PRNewswire/ --  Roberts Pharmaceutical
Corporation (AMEX: RPC) today reported results for the second-quarter and
six-months ended June 30, 1997.
    Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 1997 were $30.3 million, up 13%
from $26.8 million in the comparable quarter of 1996.  Second-quarter 1997
revenues do not include certain divested non-strategic product sales which
were included in the 1996 figure, offset by sales of ProAmatine(R) and
Agrylin(TM), the Company's first two pipeline drugs which were introduced
earlier this year.   Reflecting this shift in product mix, the gross profit in
the quarter ended June 30, 1997 amounted to $17.3 million, a gain of 29% from
a gross profit of $13.4 million in the comparable period of 1996.
Correspondingly, the gross profit margin expanded to 57.1% from 50.0% of
sales.
    Income before taxes in the second-quarter 1997 was $2.1 million, an
increase of $4.6 million from a year earlier loss of $2.5 million.  Net income
from continuing operations was reported at $1.3 million for the second-quarter
1997 compared to a loss of $1.7 million in the comparable period of 1996.
Per share earnings in the second-quarter 1997 amounted to $0.04 compared to a
second-quarter 1996 loss from continuing operations of $(0.09)
    During the six-month period ended June 30, 1997, revenues increased 29% to
$56.6 million from $44.0 million in the comparable period of 1996.  Excluding
the sales of divested products from the June 30, 1996 revenues, the year-to-
year increase in first-half 1997 revenues was 34%.  More than half of that
gain was driven by the sales of higher-margin ProAmatine and Agrylin.  The
strength in first-half 1997 revenues reflects, in part, initial wholesaler
inventory stocking of the new products following their introduction earlier in
the year.
    Gross profit during the first six months of 1997 rose 48% to $32.0 million
from $21.6 million in the same period of 1996, translating into an expansion
in the gross profit margin to 56.5% from 49.1% of sales.  Despite year-to-year
increases in R&D expenses and in sales and marketing outlays in support of the
new product introductions, operating income improved by $10.3 million to a
profit of $2.3 million in the first-half of 1997 from a loss of $8.0 million
in the comparable period of 1996.
    Income before taxes in the first six months of 1997 was $4.4 million, an
increase of $12.8 million from a reported loss of $8.4 million in the same
period a year earlier.  Net income from continuing operations was $2.9 million
in the first-half 1997 compared to a loss of $6.0 million in the comparable
period of 1996.  Per share earnings in the first-half 1997 amounted to $0.08
compared to a loss from continuing operations of $(0.32) in the same period a
year earlier.
    As of June 30, 1997, the Company's position of cash and marketable
securities amounted to $91.4 million.  At that time, total long-term debt
stood at $11.6 million, down from $17.0 million at year-end 1996.
Shareholders' equity on June 30, 1997 was $313.5 million.
    Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation, with operating subsidiaries in the
United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, focuses on new health care
solutions through the acquisition and development of specialtypharmaceuticals.
e Company's first pipeline product, ProAmatine (R), was
recently launched in the U.S. as the first FDA cleared drug to treat
orthostatic hypotension.  Agrylin (TM), Roberts second pipeline product, has
since been launched in the U.S. as the first drug cleared to treat essential
thrombocythemia, and is currently under review in Canada and the European
Union.
    This and prior press releases of Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation are
available through PR Newswire's Company News On-Call fax service at
1-800-758-5804, extension 760975 and on the internet at

http://www.prnewswire.com and http://www.robertspharm.com.
    This release may contain forward-looking statements which reflect
management's current views of future events and operations.  These forward-
looking statements are based on assumptions and external factors, including
assumptions relating to regulatory action and competing products.  Any changes
in such assumptions or external factors could produce significantly different
results.

                      ROBERTS PHARMACEUTICAL CORPORATION
                      Financial Highlights of Operations
                     (in millions, except per share data)
                                 (unaudited)

                                       For the six months For the three months
                                           ended June 30,    ended June 30,
                                           1997     1996     1997     1996
    Total revenue                         $56.6    $44.0    $30.3    $26.8
    Gross profit                           32.0     21.6     17.3     13.4
    Operating expenses                     29.7     29.6     16.5     15.8
    Operating income (loss)                 2.3     (8.0)     0.8     (2.4)

    Income (loss) before taxes              4.4     (8.4)     2.1     (2.5)
    Provision (benefit) for taxes           1.5     (2.4)     0.8     (0.8)

    Net income from continuing operations   2.9     (6.0)     1.3     (1.7)

    Discontinued operations                 0.0      4.0      0.0      4.0

    Net income (loss)                      $2.9    ($2.0)    $1.3     $2.3

    Per share net income (loss):
      Continuing operations               $0.08   ($0.32)   $0.04   ($0.09)
      Discontinued operations             $0.00    $0.21    $0.00    $0.21
    Net income (loss)                     $0.08   ($0.11)   $0.04    $0.12

    Weighted average number of
      common shares
      and equivalents (000's)            28,886   18,696   28,616   18,659

    Balance sheet items as of June 30, 1997

    Cash and marketable securities         91.4
    Long-term debt                         11.6
    Total shareholders' equity            313.5

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