Duramed President Responds to Results from a Survey of Menopausal Women *
More women would prefer a plant-based product than an animal-based product for
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) * Two-thirds of current HRT users are given no
choice in therapy by their physicians
CINCINNATI, Dec 18, 2000 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Jeffrey T. Arington,
President and Chief Operating Officer of Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:
DRMD), today commented on the results of a Berrier Associates survey of nearly
600 menopausal women 45 years and older that were released December 7.
The survey showed, notably, that 41 percent of respondents say they would prefer
to take a plant-based product for hormone replacement therapy (HRT). In
contrast, only 3 percent say they would prefer to take an animal-based product.
The remainder says that they have no preference (36 percent) or that they do not
know which they prefer (20 percent).
"This finding is important because it demonstrates that when given a choice
about the source material in their HRT, many more women would prefer a
plant-derived product-such as Cenestin(R) (synthetic conjugated estrogens, A)
Tablets-than the product derived from the urine of pregnant mares, Premarin(1),"
said Arington.
According to the survey, Premarin is the brand of HRT reported as most commonly
used (49 percent) by women. However, 47 percent of Premarin users say they were
not aware that Premarin is made from the urine of pregnant mares. Additionally,
79 percent of current HRT users and 91 percent of former users say that their
physicians, upon prescribing HRT, did not discuss with them the origin of the
products.
Further, few respondents reported even being given a choice of HRT options. Of
current HRT users, 68 percent were not offered a choice in HRT, and nearly all
(91 percent) of the women who discontinued HRT were not offered a choice of
products.
"That a majority of the women surveyed report not being permitted a say in their
choice of HRT is disturbing, especially since so many women indicated they had a
preference in the source of their products," Arington stated.
"Cenestin was developed to provide women with the option to select an
alternative conjugated estrogens therapy; yet, according to the survey, most
physicians are not granting them this option. We are concerned, as should be
women and physicians, about this phenomenon, especially since almost all those
who stopped using HRT were not given a choice of products."
Berrier Associates, a full-service, custom research company providing
research-based communications and marketing consulting, based in Philadelphia,
conducted the survey, which was commissioned by Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
About Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Duramed Pharmaceuticals develops, manufactures and markets prescription drug
products. The company's business strategy emphasizes products with attractive
market opportunities and potentially limited competition due to technological
barriers to entry, focusing on women's health and the hormone replacement
therapy market. On March 24, 1999, the FDA approved the company's first branded
product, Cenestin(R) (synthetic conjugated estrogens, A) Tablets, for the
treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause.
Duramed's containment manufacturing facility for the production of hormones
distinguishes the company from most competitors. The facility incorporates
enclosed product flow and state-of-the-art environmental controls to ensure
purity, stability, and tablet uniformity for Cenestin and other hormone
products. While Duramed's primary focus will be solid oral dose hormones, the
company's other areas of concentration -- controlled release technology and
oncology -- continue to represent attractive market opportunities.
On October 6, 1999, Duramed entered into an alliance with Solvay
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to jointly promote three of the companies' hormone
products to obstetricians and gynecologists across the United States: Duramed
Pharmaceuticals' Cenestin and Solvay Pharmaceuticals' Estratest(R)(2) and
Prometrium(R)(3).
The company's stock is traded on Nasdaq using the symbol DRMD. Additional
information about the company can be found on the World Wide Web at
www.duramed.com and www.cenestin.com .
About Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Marietta, Ga., is a research-based
pharmaceuticals company, active in the therapeutic areas of cardiology,
gastroenterology, mental health and women's health. Solvay Pharmaceuticals is
the second largest pharmaceutical company in the U.S. hormone replacement
therapy market, having advanced from its previous standing of sixth in the
industry in 1996. It is a member of the worldwide Solvay Group of chemical and
pharmaceutical companies, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. The Group's
members employ some 33,000 people in 46 countries. Its 1999 revenue worldwide
was 7.9 billion EUR ($7.9 billion) from four operating sectors: Chemicals,
Plastics, Processing, and Pharmaceuticals. Additional information about the
Group can be found on the World Wide Web at www.solvay.com .
(1) Premarin is a trademark of Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, Inc.
(2) Estratest is a trademark of Solvay Pharmaceuticals.
(3) Prometrium is a trademark of Solvay Pharmaceuticals.
Like all estrogen drug products, CENESTIN(R) Tablets should not be used in women
with known or suspected pregnancy, breast cancer, or estrogen-dependent
neoplasia, undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding, active thrombophlebitis, or
thromboembolic disorders. Estrogens have been reported to increase the risk of
endometrial carcinoma in postmenopausal women with an intact uterus. The most
common adverse events reported in clinical experience with CENESTIN included
headache, insomnia, asthenia, nervousness, paresthesia, and depression. For
additional information on CENESTIN, please see full prescribing information.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) encourages companies to disclose
forward-looking information so that investors can better understand a company's
future prospects and make informed investment decisions. Due to changing market
conditions, product competition, the nature of product development and
regulatory approval processes, the achievement of forward- looking statements
contained in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties. For
further details and a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, see Duramed's
SEC filings, including its annual report on Form 1O-K.
SOURCE Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
CONTACT: Investor Relations of Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
513-731-9900; or Ellen Knight or Carrie Krysanick of Dan Pinger Public
Relations, Inc., 513-564-0700
URL: solvay.com
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