Bentley Pharmaceuticals announces results of annual meeting and filing of registration statement on form S-3.

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 6, 1997--Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: BNT) announced today that at its annual meeting of stockholders, Ehud D. Laska and Michael D. Price were elected directors of the company for terms ending in the year 2000 and amendments to the Company's 1991 stock option plan were adopted. Mr. Laska is Managing Director of Interbank Capital Group, a merchant banking firm. Mr. Price is the company's vice president and chief financial officer. The amendments to the 1991 plan, among other things, increased the number of shares available for grant under the plan from 240,000 to 500,000 shares.

The company also announced that it filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 registering shares held by certain stockholders, including three officers of the Company, for potential resale. James R. Murphy, Bentley's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "The Registration Statement was filed to register shares underlying stock options and warrants, including those issued to the company's three principal officers. None of these three officers has any present intention to sell these shares."

Mr. Murphy also stated in an address to stockholders, "I am pleased with the progress achieved over the past year. Today we are more focused and product oriented than at any time in Bentley's history. This is best evidenced by the company's strong sales growth in Spain during the past year where the company increased its efforts on the sale of products which produce higher gross margins."

By leveraging competitive advantages of relatively low-cost GMP accredited manufacturing capability, novel drug-delivery technologies and an international sales-and-marketing presence, Tampa-based Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging international pharmaceutical company with a broad and expanding line of improved off-patent drugs that prevent or treat illnesses in the following therapeutic categories -- cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, and infectious diseases.

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, 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.

CONTACT: Michael D. Price, Chief Financial Officer

813/286-4401