Alliance Pharma Regulatory News (APH)

3 Nov 2005 07:00

Alliance Pharma PLC03 November 2005 For Immediate Release 3 November 2005 ALLIANCE PHARMA PLC ("Alliance" or "the Company") Uniflu UK disposal raises £500,000 Alliance Pharma plc (AIM: APH), the emerging speciality pharmaceutical company,is pleased to announce that it has divested Uniflu, its cold and flu product,for a one-off payment of £500,000. Uniflu was acquired as part of the acquisition of Forceval, a prescription basedmulti-vitamin for clinical malnutrition, in November 2004. The UK business forUniflu, as a consumer healthcare product, is non-core to Alliance, therefore thecompany has taken the decision to divest the brand to G R Lane Health ProductsLtd based in Gloucester, UK, for a one-off payment of £500,000. Alliance retainsits Uniflu export business, with annual sales of £419,000 which is managed viadistributors. Uniflu's presence in the UK market is underdeveloped compared with its positionin several other markets, particularly Lebanon where it is market leader in thecold and flu segment. Commenting on the news, John Dawson, Alliance Pharma's Chief Executive, said: "We have taken the decision to divest Uniflu for a one-off payment as theproduct is non-core to the Alliance Pharma business. We continue to retain theexport sales on Uniflu as that market is further developed and offers more valuegoing forward." For further information:Alliance Pharma plc + 44 (0) 1249 466966John Dawson, Chief ExecutiveMaddy Scott, Finance Directorwww.alliancepharma.co.uk Buchanan Communications + 44 (0) 20 7466 5000Mark Court/Lisa Baderoon/Rebecca Skye Dietrich Notes to editors About Alliance Pharma Alliance Pharma, founded in 1996, is an AIM listed emerging specialitypharmaceutical company based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK. The company has astrong track record of acquiring the rights to established niche brands andowns, or shares, the rights to 30 branded pharmaceutical products and continuesto explore opportunities to expand the range. Alliance Pharma's products are prescribed in the treatment of a wide range ofconditions and include brands used in periodontitis (a serious gum disease), theprevention of heart disease, in Parkinson's disease, in nutrition, in nasalinfections, in the treatment of dermatological conditions and in childbirth.Alliance Pharma's sales are mainly prescription driven. Its products aredistributed to hospitals directly and to pharmaceutical wholesalers whichservice both hospital and retail pharmacies with their prescriptionrequirements. Alliance Pharma is also developing novel products for sleep disorders and theinduction of labour. Alliance Pharma joined the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in December2003 and trades under the symbol APH. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange