CollaGenex International Announces Appointment of Dexcel-Dental for the Field Selling of Periostat in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

NEWTOWN, Pa. & THAME, UK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2002

CollaGenex International Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:CGPI) today announced that it has appointed Dexcel-Dental, a division of Dexcel-Pharma Limited, to handle the field selling of its lead product Periostat (R) tablets to the dental profession in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Periostat tablets were granted a Marketing Authorisation by the UK Medicines Control Agency in 2001. Periostat tablets are indicated for use as an adjunct to supra- and sub-gingival (above and below the gum-line) scaling procedures in the treatment of adult periodontitis. Periostat is typically prescribed by a dentist or periodontologist, and Dexcel-Pharma will use its UK sales team to present Periostat to the dental profession. Dexcel-Dental also markets PerioChip(R) (chlorhexidine gluconate) and Gengigel(R) (hyaluronic acid) to the dental profession in the UK.

Commenting on the agreement, Robert A. Ashley, Senior Vice President of CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals and Managing Director of CollaGenex International, said "Since Periostat is now available on the Dental Practitioners Formulary and on prescription on the National Health Service, we sought a cost-effective means of enhancing our marketing efforts by having an established sales force present Periostat to the UK dental profession. Dexcel-Dental has a high quality, well-trained sales force covering the country that is very familiar with the selling of products for the treatment of periodontitis, and we are delighted to be working with such an experienced company in the dental products market".

Periodontitis is thought to affect some 12-15% of the adult population in the UK and, with increasing life expectancy and a decrease in tooth loss due to caries, more people are at risk of developing periodontitis and the need for new therapies to treat a chronic yet unpredictable disease is increasing. Clinical studies comparing Periostat(R) to a placebo pill have shown that, when Periostat is prescribed along with traditional mechanical therapy involving the scraping of bacteria from the surface of the tooth above and below the gum-line, there are significant improvements in the attachment of the tooth to the gums. There are also significant reductions in the depth of the pockets between the tooth and the gum that harbour the bacteria thought to initiate the disease process. Periostat suppresses the tissue-destructive enzymes that the body produces in response to the bacterial infection, thereby helping to prevent the breakdown of the gum tissue. Periostat was recently made available on National Health Service (NHS) prescription in the United Kingdom.

CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company currently focused on providing innovative medical therapies to the dental market in the United States. The Company's lead product, Periostat, is the first and only pharmaceutical to treat periodontal disease by inhibiting the enzymes that destroy periodontal support tissues. Periostat is marketed to the dental community through a professional pharmaceutical sales force composed of approximately 120 sales representatives and managers. Currently, the Company's dental sales force is also marketing Vioxx(R), a Merck & Co. drug that CollaGenex co-promotes for the treatment of acute dental pain, and Atridox(R), Atrisorb(R) and Atrisorb-D(R), Atrix Laboratories Inc.'s products for the treatment of adult periodontitis.

Research has shown that the enzyme suppression technology underlying Periostat may also be applicable to other diseases involving destruction of the body's connective tissues, including cancer metastases (Metastat) and a broad range of inflammatory diseases. CollaGenex is developing a series of novel, proprietary compounds known as IMPACS (Inhibitors of Multiple Proteases and CytokineS) to address these applications. The Company intends to pursue further research and development of these technologies primarily through partnerships with third parties.

To receive additional information on the Company, please visit our Web site at www.collagenex.com, which is not a part of this press release.

Periostat(R), Metastat(R) and IMPACS(R) are trademarks of CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

VIOXX(R)is a trademark of Merck & Co., Inc.

Atridox(R), Atrisorb(R) and Atrisorb-D(R) are trademarks of Atrix Laboratories, Inc.

Periostat(R) and CollaGenex(R) are trademarks of CollaGenex International Limited.

PerioChip(R) is a trademark of Dexcel-Dental Limited.

Gengigel(R) is a trademark of Oral-Dent Limited.