DUBLIN, Ireland, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN)
("Elan") today announced that marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration ("FDA") for a tablet form of American Home Products
Corporation's ("AHP") drug Rapamune(R) represents the first approval for a
drug presentation containing Elan's proprietary NanoCrystal technology.
Rapamune is indicated for the prevention of organ rejection in kidney
transplant patients and the new tablet provides easier administration and
storage than the currently marketed Rapamune oral solution.  This tablet
presentation was made possible through the application of Elan's NanoCrystal
technology for poorly water-soluble drug compounds.  This technology is a
proprietary system of Elan Pharmaceutical Technologies (EPT), Elan's drug
delivery division.  Elan will receive revenues from AHP on sales of
NanoCrystal formulations of Rapamune.
    "This first approval for a formulation containing our NanoCrystal
technology is a major achievement for EPT and represents the validation of
several years' of diligent scientific effort", said Dr Larry Sternson,
President of EPT.  "Over 40% of potential drug products suffer from poor water
solubility.  This frequently results in potentially important products not
reaching the market or achieving their full potential.  Today, Elan has
several collaborations with major pharmaceutical corporations to develop other
products and new formulations using the NanoCrystal technology.  We believe
that the application of our NanoCrystal technology will ensure the successful
development of a large number of these potential pharmaceutical products."
    Elan is a leading worldwide specialty pharmaceutical and drug delivery
company headquartered in Ireland, with its principal research, development,
manufacturing and marketing facilities located in Ireland, the United States
and Israel. Elan shares trade on the New York, London and Dublin Stock
Exchanges.

    The statements in this press release may include forward-looking
statements that involve risks and uncertainties including the difficulty of
the success of pharmaceutical research and development projects and predicting
regulatory approvals as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from
time to time in periodic reports, including Elan's Annual Report on Form 20-F
as filed with the SEC.

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http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/231593.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 231593
CONTACT:
Investors - In U.S., Jack Howarth or Mary
Ansaldi, 212-407-5740, or 800-252-3526; or in Europe, Emer
Reynolds, 353-1-709-4080, or 00800-28352600; or Media - Max
Gershenoff, 212-407-5740, all for Elan

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