Akorn and Apotex Sign Product Supply Agreement.

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill. -- Akorn, Inc. (AMEX:AKN) and Apotex Corporation (Apotex), the largest Canadian-owned pharmaceutical manufacturer, today announced the signing of an agreement for the purchase, supply, and marketing of select Ophthalmic pharmaceutical products in the United States health care market.

Under the terms of the agreement, Apotex will manufacture Ophthalmic products in finished dosage forms for Akorn, who will market these products under the Akorn label. The agreement includes Ophthalmic products currently available from Apotex, as well as select products in Apotex' Ophthalmic research and development pipeline.

With over twenty-five (25) years of health care experience, Apotex is an innovative global research and technology leader in generic pharmaceuticals, serving 115 countries worldwide. Apotex has been dedicated to providing world class manufacturing, biotechnology research and distribution technologies to meet the needs of the U.S. generic pharmaceuticals market. The company has committed over $1.0 billion for R&D over the next ten (10) years.

Arthur S. Przybyl, president and chief executive officer of Akorn stated, "We are very excited to enter into this strategic partnership with Apotex. This relationship with Apotex supports the company's overall growth strategy to expand our product offering in the US health care market. The agreement also calls for Akorn to market Apotex Ophthalmic products to the physician market in the Akorn label."

Additionally, Przybyl said, "Akorn's strong sales and marketing capabilities create a natural synergy between our two companies. We look forward to a long-standing and successful relationship with Apotex."

Apotex Corp. President Tammy L. McIntire, MS, R.Ph., said, "We are delighted to join Akorn in this partnership. Akorn's proven sales and marketing capabilities will augment Apotex' strategic growth plans in the U.S. Ophthalmic marketplace."

About Akorn, Inc.

Akorn, Inc. manufactures and markets sterile specialty pharmaceuticals. Akorn has manufacturing facilities located in Decatur, Illinois and Somerset, New Jersey and markets and distributes an extensive line of hospital and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Additional information is available at the Company's website at www.akorn.com.

About Apotex Corporation

Apotex Corp. is the U.S. subsidiary of Apotex Inc., the largest Canadian-owned manufacturer of prescription drugs. Through its sales and marketing headquarters in Weston, Florida, operations center in Indianapolis, and research facility in Lincolnshire, Illinois, Apotex Corp. is committed to providing high quality, safe and affordable generic medicines. Apotex manufactures more than 220 drugs, which are sold in 115 countries around the world. Its product line includes oral solids, liquids, injectables, nasal sprays, ophthalmics and inhalation solutions. For more information visit www.apotexcorp.com.

Any statements made by Akorn, Inc. ("we", "us", "our", "Akorn" or the "Company") in this press release that are forward looking are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company cautions readers that important factors may affect the Company's actual results and could cause such results to differ materially from forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Such factors include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to (i) the ability to generate cash from operations sufficient to meet the Company's working capital requirements, (ii) the necessity of complying with various regulatory procedures in the manufacture of drug products, (iii) the Company's ability to acquire, develop, finance, test, produce and market new products, including the availability of materials to produce products, (iv) the resolution of the FDA compliance issues at the Company's Decatur, Illinois manufacturing facility and the outcome of other legal proceedings involving the Company, (v) patent protection for the Company's intellectual property or trade secrets, and (vi) other risks detailed from time to time in filings the Company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, but not limited to, those risks referenced under the caption "Factors That May Affect Future Results" in Item 1 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003.