Announcing a First-of-Its-Kind Free Weapon Against Holiday Weight Gain.

Lifestyle, Feature & Health Writers

MOUNT OLIVE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 2000

It's Not Too Late To Apply For An Opportunity To Receive

Up To 12 Months of Free Prescription Weight-Loss Medication

and Free Specialized Weight-Loss Management Support Programming

The holiday season, a time when many Americans dread expected weight gains, can take on a new positive meaning this year for people with 30 or more pounds to lose - they can take the first step toward controlling their weight by applying for enrollment in Knoll Pharmaceutical Company's Mission Control(SM) MERIDIA(R)program, an unprecedented major national weight management program that will provide an opportunity to receive for free up to 12 months of the prescription weight-loss medication, MERIDIA(R)(sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate) C-IV Capsules, with their doctors' approval.

Participants will also receive a specialized support program. People can apply for enrollment until 11:59 p.m. ET Nov. 24 by calling 1-800-572-0662, or via www.4meridia.com.

The program is designed to benefit everyone who applies. It provides opportunities for free MERIDIA for select people, and significant discounts on MERIDIA for everyone else with a doctor's prescription. All who apply will receive a variety of resources to help them gain healthier lifestyles.

One thousand U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or over will be selected through a random drawing to receive free medication and support programming. They will be able to participate upon approval by their physicians. Mission Control(SM) MERIDIA(R) is open to those who are currently taking MERIDIA and those who are not.

The program is not valid for individuals covered under Medicaid, Medicare or similar federal or state programs, and is void in Massachusetts and where taxed, restricted or prohibited by law.

Since its U.S. introduction in 1998, physicians have written more than 3 million prescriptions for MERIDIA for nearly 2 million people. MERIDIA helps people take control of their eating before they overeat. In medical studies with significantly overweight people, MERIDIA, along with physical activity and a reduced-calorie diet, produced significant reductions in body weight.

The Mission Control MERIDIA program is being launched on the heels of a recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that said the prevalence of obesity increased 5.6 percent from 1998 to 1999, and has increased 57 percent since 1991. Research has shown that obesity associated health risks include cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. An estimated 300,000 U.S. adults die each year of causes attributable to obesity.

"The obesity epidemic in the U.S. is at an all-time high and the time is now to take action," said Dr. David Hathaway, Vice President of Medical Affairs for Knoll Pharmaceutical Company. "Through the Mission Control(SM) MERIDIA(R) program, Knoll is making it easier for people who are ready for a change to take the first step to begin taking control of their weight. MERIDIA has been used by millions of Americans, and with Mission Control MERIDIA, Knoll is doing its part to make it even easier for doctors and patients to work together to achieve sustainable results."

"It's time for a bold new approach to weight-loss, based on an overall lifestyle change that includes diet, physical activity and when appropriate, pharmacotherapy anti-obesity medications that have been extensively studied, " said Dr. David Heber, Director of the UCLA Center For Human Nutrition, and Chief of UCLA's Division of Clinical Nutrition, Department of Medicine. "Anti-obesity medications such as MERIDIA, combined with a reduced-calorie diet and appropriate physical activity, provide an option for sensible and sustainable weight loss."

The Mission Control MERIDIA program offers opportunities for additional bonuses and weight-loss tools beyond the specialized weight-loss support program and monthly MERIDIA therapy. One individual among the 1,000 selected to participate in the program will receive a lifestyle makeover that includes personal counseling sessions with a dietitian, and sessions with a personal trainer and personal chef. Ten individuals among the 1,000 selected to participate will receive $500 in home gym equipment; and 50 will receive $150 toward a health and beauty spa treatment.

Everyone who applies will receive a package that includes a discount card for up to 50 percent off MERIDIA(R) with a doctor's prescription; a video featuring real people with real stories and advice about gaining control of their weight; and a free trial subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Once the 1,000 participants are selected for the program and they receive approval from their physicians, the support programming and MERIDIA therapy are free. Physician office visits are the patients' responsibility.

People who are selected for the program but whose doctors feel they are not appropriate candidates for medication therapy will still receive a free copy of the LEARN(R) Program for Weight Control, a comprehensive self-paced program focused on lifestyle, exercise, attitudes, relationships and nutrition.

Knoll Pharmaceutical Company & MERIDIA(R) Support Educational Effort

Knoll Pharmaceutical Company is the maker of MERIDIA(R) (sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate) C-IV Capsules, an FDA-approved oral medication used for the medical management of obesity, including weight loss and the maintenance of weight loss. The medication should be used in conjunction with a reduced calorie diet. In the majority of patients, MERIDIA has been shown to reduce weight by five to 10 percent. By sustaining this weight loss, patients can reduce obesity-related health risks, including diabetes and hypertension.

Patients being treated with MERIDIA(R) should see their doctor as directed for regular follow-up visits, during which the doctor can follow their body weight and carefully monitor their overall health, including regular monitoring of blood pressure and pulse rate.

As with all medications, MERIDIA may not be for everyone. MERIDIA is well tolerated, and most side effects are mild and temporary, and include dry mouth, headache, insomnia and constipation. MERIDIA substantially increases blood pressure in some people and for this reason regular blood pressure monitoring is required when taking MERIDIA. These blood pressure increases generally occur early in treatment and the prescribing physician may decide to decrease the dose of MERIDIA or discontinue the medication.

You cannot take MERIDIA if you are taking prescription medicines called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which are sometimes used to treat depression or Parkinson's disease. MERIDIA should not be taken if you are taking other weight-loss medications that act on the brain. This includes both prescriptions and over-the-counter medications and herbal products. MERIDIA should not be used by pregnant women or nursing mothers.

In clinical trials, the number of patients who discontinued MERIDIA(R) use because of hypertension was less than one-half of one percent and was comparable to placebo. MERIDIA should be given with caution to those patients with a history of hypertension and should not be given to patients with uncontrolled or poorly controlled hypertension.

As a centrally acting prescription anti-obesity medication, MERIDIA is classified as a schedule IV drug.

Knoll Pharmaceutical Company, headquartered in Mount Olive, New Jersey, represents the U.S. business of BASF Pharma, the global pharmaceutical operation of the BASF Group. Knoll is dedicated to the development and marketing of prescription therapeutics for obesity and other metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease, pain management, immunology, and endocrinology.

MERIDIA(R) is a registered trademark and Mission Control(SM) is a service mark of Knoll Pharmaceutical Company. LEARN is a registered trademark of American Health Publishing Company.

To receive a copy of MERIDIA prescribing information and patient prescribing information by fax, please call 1-888-796-3677 or visit www.4meridia.com.