Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Transfer Rights toCryptaz - nitazoxanide - to Romark Laboratories,...

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill.--(BW HealthWire)--Nov. 23, 1998--

-- Continuation of Cryptaz Compassionate Use Program Guaranteed --

Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:UMED), today announced that it has transferred development and marketing rights for Cryptaz(TM) (nitazoxanide, NTZ(TM))

Cryptaz is an investigational drug that, in the U.S., is being studied for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis in people with HIV disease. Unimed's transfer of Cryptaz is consistent with the company strategy of focusing on drugs that treat chronic illnesses.

Romark holds international rights to Cryptaz and maintains an active, international clinical trials program dedicated to evaluating several uses of the drug, including the treatment of cryptosporidiosis. In fact, Cryptaz is approved in Mexico and other Latin American countries as treatment for a variety of parasitic infections, including cryptosporidiosis, and is sold in the area by Romark's licensee, Grupo Columbia S.A.

"Romark's international presence and strong commitment to Cryptaz will ensure continued development of this potentially important drug, and we are confident that Romark is best positioned to build a future for Cryptaz, a future we will share via royalties on sales," said Ron Goode, Ph.D., president and CEO of Unimed Pharmaceuticals. "Furthermore, as a condition of the sale, Romark has agreed to continue the current compassionate use program which provides Cryptaz free-of-charge to HIV patients under an FDA-approved protocol."

Unimed is an emerging, Chicago-area pharmaceutical company that develops and markets life-enhancing pharmaceutical products to address unmet medical needs in patients with chronic conditions. The company focuses on drugs that have multiple indications and fall within the areas of endocrinology, urology, HIV and other infectious diseases, hematology and oncology. Unimed currently markets Marinol(R) (dronabinol) as an appetite stimulant for people living with HIV disease and as an antiemetic for people with cancer, Anadrol(R) -50 (oxymetholone) for the treatment of various anemias, and Maxaquin(R) (lomefloxacin HCl) for both complicated and uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Unimed also has several products in development including Androgel(TM) (testosterone gel) for the treatment of hypogonadism, and Andractim(TM) (dihydrotestosterone gel) for the treatment of hypogonadism in older men.

For more information on the Cryptaz compassionate use program, patients and physicians can call Romark Laboratories, L.C. at (813) 282-8544.