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Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation Announces Priority Review Status in Canada For Its New Drug Agrylin And Plans to File This Year For European Approval

    EATONTOWN,             ,             , N.J., March 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Rob
er
 Pharmaceutical
Corporation (Nasdaq: RPCX) announced today that its new drug AGRYLIN(TM) has
been given "Priority Review" status by the Health Protection Branch, Canada
(HPB).
    Roberts filed a New Drug Submission for AGRYLIN with the Canadian
regulatory agency subsequent to recent FDA notification that the product was
approvable for the U.S. as the first drug indicated for treating
thrombocythemia.  This is a life-threatening condition characterized by
elevated blood platelet levels.  The HPB, in considering and granting
expeditious review of AGRYLIN for the Canadian market, noted that the product
"is a novel chemical entity that appears to reduce platelet count and
represents an important therapeutic gain over current therapies including
radioactive phosphorus, cytotoxic agents and alfa interferon."
    Additionally, Roberts recently met with the European Medicines Evaluation
Agency (EMEA) in London.  As a result, the Company plans to file a Product
License Application this year for AGRYLIN according to the EMEA harmonization
procedures for approval of new drugs within the European Community.  Filings
in other geographic locations are being pursued.
    Dr. Robert A. Vukovich, Roberts President and CEO, noted, "AGRYLIN is the
second product to emerge from our pipeline, but the first of our proprietary
products for which we have worldwide marketing rights.  We are excited about
the drug's pending near-term launch in the U.S. and are highly optimistic
that, in the foreseeable future, this important life saving product will be
available in international markets."
    Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation, with operating subsidiaries in the
U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom, focuses on new health care solutions
through the acquisition and development of specialty pharmaceuticals.  The
Company's first proprietary product, PROAMATINE (R) was recently launched in
the U.S. as the first drug indicated for treating orthostatic hypotension (a
low blood pressure condition).  AGRYLIN, Roberts second pipeline product and
first drug indicated for treating thrombocythemia has been declared approvable
by FDA and final U.S. marketing clearance is expected shortly.

    Recent press releases and a letter from the Chairman of the Board 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

    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.


SOURCE Roberts Pharmaceutical Corporation




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CONTACT:
Stuart Z. Levine, Ph.D., Director of Investor
Relations of Roberts Pharmaceutical, 908-389-1182, ext. 3064