Attention: News/Medical Editor
For Immediate Release
March 14, 2000

Launch of Life Saving Drug in Europe
To Assist Those Patients Facing Possible Death

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA – Apotex Inc. announced today the official launch of Ferriproxä in Europe. Ferriprox™ is the first medicine approved for the treatment of iron overload, since the approval of Desferal^® more than 30 years ago. The major advantage of Ferriprox™ is that this iron chelator can be taken by mouth instead of by daily injections, over an 8-12 hour period, 5-7 times a week required for Desferal^®.

Ferriprox™ was approved in August 1999 by the European Regulatory Authority as a second line therapy for those patients with thalassemia who were unable to take Desferal. Thalassemia is a genetic disease which causes the buildup of iron in the blood. The life span of a patient who cannot take an iron chelator is very short, as iron builds up in vital organs leading to organ damage and heart failure.

In addition to the clinical trials sponsored by Apotex in Canada, the US and Italy, approximately 500 patients in Italy have been receiving Ferriprox through a Government run Controlled Use program for nearly three years, waiting for the approval and launch of the drug. Now that day has arrived.

"It is a life and death situation for these patients, they have no other authorized options", stated Jack Kay, President and COO of Apotex. "We get desperate calls on a regular basis from doctors and families around the world inquiring about the availability of this drug. Ferriprox is continuing to demonstrate a positive safety and efficacy profile for its indication", concluded Mr. Kay.

Mr. Costa Papageorgiou, President of the Thalassemia International Foundation (TIF), with headquarters in Cyprus, recently stated, "Although TIF has been successful in increasing the use of Desferal, there are patients, especially adults, who cannot or will not take this medicine and will die because of the iron overload. For those patients there is an urgent need for an alternative to Desferal. …Now, those patients have an alternative and hope for a longer life. I wish the same alternative be given to patients around the world."

Ferriprox™ is a trademark of Apotex Inc.
Desferal^® is a trademark of Novartis Inc.

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For additional information, please contact:

Elie Betito
Director, Public & Government Affairs
Apotex Inc.
(416) 749-9300
Email: ebetito@apotex.com