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Tudorza

Generic name: aclidinium bromide
Treatment for: COPD

Update: Tudorza Pressair Now FDA Approved - July 23, 2012

Forest and Almirall Announce Positive FDA Advisory Committee's Recommendation for Approval of Aclidinium Bromide for the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

NEW YORK & BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 24, 2012 - Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Almirall, S.A. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee (PADAC) voted 12 to 2 in favor of approving the New Drug Application (NDA) for aclidinium bromide, a new long-acting antimuscarinic for the maintenance treatment of COPD. The Committee was also asked to separately evaluate if the efficacy and safety of the 400 ug twice daily dose had been adequately demonstrated. The members voted unanimously in favor of efficacy and 10 to 3 (1 member abstained) in favor of safety.

Today's committee recommendations, although not binding, will be considered by the FDA as it completes its review of the NDA for aclidinium bromide. Forest and Almirall anticipate receiving FDA feedback on the filing in the second quarter of calendar year 2012.

About aclidinium bromide

Aclidinium bromide is a novel, long-acting inhaled antimuscarinic agent, which is often referred to as an anticholinergic that has a long residence time at M3 receptors and a shorter residence time at M2 receptors. When given by inhalation, aclidinium leads to bronchodilation by inhibiting airway smooth muscle contraction. Aclidinium is rapidly hydrolyzed in human plasma to two major inactive metabolites. Forest Laboratories, Inc. licensed U.S. rights for aclidinium from Almirall, Kyorin for Japan and Daeowoong for Korea while Almirall maintains rights for the rest of the world. Almirall and Forest are jointly involved in the development of the compound.

Aclidinium bromide was administered to patients in the trials using a novel, investigational state-of-the-art multidose dry powder inhaler (MDPI). This inhaler was designed with a feedback system which, through a ˜colored control window' and an audible click, helps confirm that the patient has inhaled correctly. It contains multiple doses of aclidinium, includes a visible dose-level indicator, and also incorporates safety features such as an anti-double dosing mechanism and an end-of-dose lock-out system to prevent use of an empty inhaler.

About COPD

The World Health Organization (WHO) has described COPD as a global epidemic; an estimated 64 million people have COPD worldwide. More than 3 million people died of the condition in 2005, which is equal to 5 percent of all deaths globally that year. Total deaths from COPD are projected to increase by more than 30 percent in the next 10 years without interventions to cut risks, particularly exposure to tobacco smoke.

In patients with COPD the airways in the lungs typically lose their elasticity, produce excess mucus and become thick and inflamed, limiting the passage of air. The most common symptoms of COPD are breathlessness (or a "need for air"), abnormal sputum (a mix of saliva and mucus in the airway), and a chronic cough. Daily activities, such as walking up a short flight of stairs or carrying a suitcase, can become very difficult as the condition gradually worsens. New therapies to treat this debilitating disease may be of value.

About Almirall

Almirall is an international pharmaceutical company based on innovation and committed to health. Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, it researches, develops, manufactures and commercializes its own R&D and licensed drugs with the aim of improving people's health and wellbeing.

Almirall focuses its research resources on therapeutic areas related to the treatment of asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), gastrointestinal disorders, psoriasis and other dermatological conditions.

Almirall's products are currently present in more than 70 countries while it has direct presence in Europe and Latin America through 12 affiliates.

For further information please visit: www.almirall.com.

About Forest Laboratories

Forest Laboratories' (NYSE: FRX) longstanding global partnerships and track record developing and marketing pharmaceutical products in the United States have yielded its well-established central nervous system and cardiovascular franchises and innovations in anti-infective and respiratory medicine. The Company's pipeline, the most robust in its history, includes product candidates in all stages of development across a wide range of therapeutic areas. The Company is headquartered in New York, NY. To learn more, visit www.FRX.com.

Except for the historical information contained herein, this release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the difficulty of predicting FDA approvals, the acceptance and demand for new pharmaceutical products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, the timely development and launch of new products, and the risk factors listed from time to time in Forest Laboratories' Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and any subsequent SEC filings.

Photo Notes: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001011/FORESTLOGO

Contact: Forest Laboratories, Inc.
Frank J. Murdolo, 1-212-224-6714
Vice President - Investor Relations
Frank.Murdolo@frx.com

Posted: February 2012

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