Bentley Pharmaceuticals Acquires Codeisan Branded Products and Trademark for the Spanish Market From Merck & Co., Inc. Subsidiary, Abello.

Business Editors

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 2000

Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: BNT), a drug delivery company with a commercial presence in Europe, announced today that it has acquired rights to market and manufacture in Spain the well-established product and trademark, Codeisan(R), from Abello, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., through its subsidiary, Laboratorios Belmac.

The brand line consists of tablet and liquid presentations, which will be marketed and promoted by the Belmac sales force beginning in the fourth quarter of 2000. Also acquired in the transaction was the associated manufacturing equipment, which will be transferred to Laboratorios Belmac's production facilities in Zaragosa, Spain, where it expects to manufacture approximately 1.4 million units annually. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Codeisan(R) is prescribed for moderate pain and is a useful antitussive for treating discomforts associated with severe cough. The Spanish market for this therapeutic group of drugs is approximately $28 million, of which units of the Codeisan(R) brand have approximately 10 percent of market share, which has been growing at an annual rate of 4% over the previous 12 months.

James R. Murphy, Chairman and CEO said, "We are pleased to obtain such a well-established brand which has a quality recognition throughout the Spanish medical community as well as pharmacies throughout Spain. Since these products are complementary to our anti-infective and influenza treatment product lines, they can be very efficiently promoted."

Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a drug delivery company focused upon improving the absorption of a wide range of drugs and peptides through proprietary drug delivery technologies which it intends to commercialize in the U.S. and other major markets by licensing to other pharmaceutical companies. Bentley also manufactures and commercializes branded and generic products in Europe for the treatment of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological and infectious diseases through its subsidiaries Laboratorios Belmac and Laboratorios Davur.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements which are not historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties including but not limited to risks associated with the uncertainty of future financial results, additional financing requirements, the ability to find effective market distribution channels, development of new products, regulatory approval processes, the impact of competitive products or pricing, unpredictability of patent protection, technological changes, the effect of economic conditions and other uncertainties detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Copies of the Company's press releases and other information may be obtained through Bentley's web site at www.bentleypharm.com