Bentley Pharmaceuticals Names Michael McGovern Vice Chairman.

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 1999--

Company Cites Progress Applying Its Patented Drug Delivery

Technology Enhancing the Permeation and Absorption of Drugs

Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: BNT), a drug delivery company and international manufacturer, marketer, distributor and developer of pharmaceutical products, announced today that Michael McGovern, 56, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been named Vice Chairman of the Company. Mr. McGovern, a member of Bentley's Board of Directors since 1997, will be involved in corporate development activities.

Mr. McGovern also serves as President of McGovern Enterprises, a provider of corporate and financial consulting services, which he founded in 1975 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Specialty Surgicenters, Inc., a developer and operator of outpatient surgical clinics. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Premier Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: PMB), Suburban Lodges of America, Inc. (NASDAQ: SLAM), Career Publishing Network, L.L.C., a publishing company that specializes in career and job fairs for college students, Training Solutions Interactive, Inc., a developer and producer of interactive training programs and the Reynolds Development Company. Mr. McGovern received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in accounting and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois.

James R. Murphy, Chairman, President and CEO, stated, "Mr. McGovern's experience and expertise are a very welcome addition, and I look forward to his assistance with ongoing negotiations for the furtherance of collaborations with large pharmaceutical companies advancing the Company's novel drug delivery technologies. We are involved in intensive discussions with a number of pharmaceutical companies and Mr. McGovern's contribution to this process will be invaluable to us. We are pleased with the progress that we have made in our laboratory thus far with respect to applying our technology in a variety of areas ranging from topical treatment of nail-bed infections to the delivery of vaccines, intra-nasal insulin and other peptides."

Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a drug delivery company focused on improving the absorption of a wide range of drugs through its drug delivery technologies which it intends to commercialize through licensing collaborations in the U.S. and other major markets. Bentley manufactures and markets products in Europe, Asia, Northern Africa and Central America for the treatment of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological and infectious diseases.

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

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.