Bentley Pharmaceuticals Receives Authorization to Market Rimagrip Complex in Spain; Also Launches Lactoliofil in Spanish Market.

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 8, 1999--

Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: BNT), a drug delivery company and international manufacturer, marketer, distributor and developer of pharmaceutical products, announced today that it has received authorization from the Ministry of Health in Spain to market Rimagrip(TM) Complex, a treatment for cough, cold and flu symptoms. Bentley's Spanish subsidiary, Laboratorios Belmac S.A., acquired the Spanish rights to this product from Chiesi Wassermann, S.A. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Bentley has also received approval and launched another product, Lactoliofil(TM), in the Spanish market. Lactoliofil, an antidiarrheal product acquired from Laboratorios Juventus, S.A. earlier this year, is offered in a sachet format. In addition to controlling diarrhea, Lactoliofil is used for restoring the natural bacterial balance in the intestine following antibiotic treatment which eliminates both the beneficial bacterial population and the infectious diseases when patients undergo intensive antibiotic therapies.

James R. Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Pharmaceuticals, said, "We are pleased that our portfolio of products continues to grow at such a rapid pace. These new products will help us continue the growth experienced over the past year. As a result of these acquisitions and new product approvals expected in the coming months, we have expanded our marketing and sales department to 93 people."

Murphy continued, "Lactoliofil is a nice complement to both our antibiotic and gastrointestinal lines of therapies. We announced the acquisition of the worldwide rights to this product in June of this year and are pleased to report that its commercialization began this quarter, as we anticipated."

Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a drug delivery company focused on improving the absorption of a wide range of drugs through its new 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 and collaborates with others to distribute its products in Asia, Northern Africa, and Central America for the treatment of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological and infectious diseases.

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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.