Atlantic's Technology Shown to Reduce Renarrowing of Blood Vessels Following Angioplasty and Other Vascular Procedures by an Average of 50% in Preclinical Trials.

RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 1997--

Second Generation Compound May Reduce Treatment Costs, Risk of Side

Effects

Data to Be Presented at International Conference By Prominent

Researcher

Atlantic Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq SmallCap: ATLC) announced today that it is developing a group of drugs known as sulfated cyclodextrins, which have been shown in preclinical testing to reduce the renarrowing of blood vessels, or restenosis, a common response to angioplasty and other vascular procedures, by an average of 50 percent. Data on these new compounds, CT-1, CT-2 and CT-8, are being presented on October 17 by Robert L. Wilensky, M.D., Director, Cardiac Care Unit and Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Presbyterian Medical Center of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, at the IBC Fourth Annual Conference on Restenosis in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"Atlantic's anti-restenosis program continues to generate encouraging preclinical data," commented J.D. Lindjord, President and CEO of Atlantic Pharmaceuticals. "If these results are replicated in future human clinical trials, the sulfated beta-cyclodextrins might have an important role to play in combating this all-too-common problem."

Said Dr. Wilensky, "Cyclodextrins are a promising new family of medications which have demonstrated efficacy in three animal models of vascular injury and repair as well as in cell culture. These results, combined with low toxicity of the agent, could make it an attractive approach to restenosis after angioplasty or stenting, as well as other disease processes involving scar tissue formation."

Restenosis - A Common Problem Following Angioplasty and Vascular

Procedures

Diseased blood vessels often develop blockages that limit blood flow, leading to pain in the chest or legs when exercising or more severe problems such as heart attack, limb loss or stroke. Both surgical and non-surgical procedures have been developed to improve blood flow, either by opening the artery with catheters (angioplasty) and stents or by bypassing the blockage using vein grafts. However, renarrowing of blood vessels (restenosis) often occurs in response to these procedures, due to an excessive accumulation of smooth muscle cells in response to the vascular trauma. Restenosis rates associated with angioplasty vary from 20 to 50 percent. Coronary bypass grafts also produce high rates of restenosis.

Atlantic's Progressive Anti-Restenosis Technologies

CT-1 and CT-2 reduce blood vessel thickening by binding to and inhibiting growth factor proteins and reducing the accumulation and migration of smooth muscle tissue in the vessel wall. In testing CT-1 and CT-2, researchers looked at three different animal species and six different models of injury. The compounds were successful in reducing restenosis rates in all studies to date.

CT-1 is administered orally or by injection; CT-2, a polymer, is applied directly to the exposed blood vessel. Atlantic is exploring coating the surfaces of vessels, dialysis shunts and vascular stents with CT-2, which could further reduce the frequency of restenosis. Preliminary data in several animal models has shown significant inhibition of restenosis when CT-2 was placed directly on the vessel at the time of surgery. Atlantic is also conducting research into the feasibility of complexing other anti-restenosis drugs into the CT-2 polymer, so that the compound will be able to deliver drugs, which would then have an additive or even a synergistic effect for reducing restenosis. In addition, Atlantic is conducting research on CT-8, a promising new second generation compound that can be administered orally or by injection and may act effectively at micro-gram doses - impacting the cost of treatment and potentially reducing the risk of toxicity and side effects, since it appears to be effective at very low doses in early preclinical models.

Having achieved in vitro and in vivo proof of principle in preclinical models for CT-1 and CT-2, Atlantic is now actively pursuing corporate partnerships for licensing this technology, including potential rights to all second and subsequent generation compounds.

Atlantic Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company developing pharmaceutical and biomedical products for a variety of therapeutic areas. The Company's strategy, which differentiates its approach from most biotechnology firms, is to develop a diverse portfolio of promising and independent product candidates licensed from a variety of sources. Currently, Atlantic is developing novel technologies in antisense gene therapy, cataract removal, prevention of restenosis following coronary angioplasty, and anti-inflammatory/analgesic drugs. -0- This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that relate to future business and financial performance. Such statements can only be predictions and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties, which may cause the actual events or future results to differ from those discussed herein. Such factors include those risks described in the Company's most recent reports on Forms 10-QSB and 10-KSB previously filed by Atlantic with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this release. -0- For more information on Atlantic Pharmaceutical's technologies, visit the Company's homepage at http://www.atlan.com. Atlantic's press releases are available through BusinessWire's web site at http://www.businesswire.com. The releases also are available at no charge through BusinessWire's fax-on-demand service at 888-286-8109.

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