Pediatric Asthma Programs featuring PARI Pharma’s eFlow

Acquired by AstraZeneca

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER 24, 2007 – Today, the rights to Verus Pharmaceuticals’ pediatric asthma development programs that utilize PARI’s eFlow electronic nebulizer for aerosol delivery were acquired by AstraZeneca. Following Gilead Sciences’ acquisition of Corus Pharma in August 2006, this is the second major pharmaceutical acquisition where a licensed eFlow is featured prominently in the development pipeline.

Included in the AstraZeneca acquisition are the North American rights to a Captisol® enabled budesonide solution (controller medication), a proprietary short-acting beta-agonist solution (rescue medication), a customized version of eFlow® (novel aerosol delivery device) for use with both products, and other intellectual property and related assets from Verus.

This is the second acquisition by a large pharmaceutical company where purchases have included the licensing of PARI’s eFlow in the development program. In August 2006, Gilead Sciences acquired Corus Pharma for $365 million. In December 2006, Gilead Sciences released positive preliminary results of their Phase III trial on AIR-CF2, a potential treatment for cystic fibrosis patients that have pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These positive preliminary results were the first Phase III clinical trial results highlighting the optimization of drug to device and device to drug with PARI’s eFlow, an advanced electronic nebulizer.

About eFlow

eFlow uses a vibrating, perforated membrane that enables extremely efficient aerosolization of liquid medications. Compared to other nebulizer systems, eFlow can produce aerosols with a very high density of active drug, a precisely defined droplet size, and a high proportion of respirable droplets delivered in the shortest possible amount of time. Combined with its silent mode of operation, small size (it fits in the palm of your hand), light weight, and battery use, eFlow helps reduce the burden of taking daily-inhaled treatments.

Due to its efficiency, eFlow is licensed to pharmaceutical companies during drug development and for later commercialization so that drug and device are optimized together for the final product. This customization is currently being utilized in the development of new and improved treatments for cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

About PARI Pharma

PARI Pharma develops aerosol delivery devices and inhaled therapies. Based on PARI's 100-year history working with aerosols, PARI Pharma specializes in treatments for pulmonary and nasal administration optimized to advanced delivery platforms, such as eFlow.

Focusing on comprehensive inhalation therapy development, including optimized nebulizer formulations, analytics, and aerosol characterization, PARI Pharma has several clinical development programs ongoing, either partnered or proprietary. PARI Pharma, a PARI Medical Holding company, is located in Munich, Germany, with a major presence in the United States. Online at www.paripharma.com 

Additional information is available by contacting Kirsten Ayars at 805-452-7909 or Geoff Hunziker at 831-372-3580.