Discovery Laboratories, Inc. Establishes Office in United Kingdom to Develop Surfaxin.

Business/Health & Medical Writers

DOYLESTOWN, Pa.--(BW HealthWire)--Nov. 7, 2000

Discovery Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: DSCO) announced today that it has established a satellite office in the United Kingdom to manage and oversee Discovery's clinical research programs throughout Europe including Surfaxin(R) trials for respiratory distress syndromes.

The new Discovery office (Discovery Europe) is located in Windsor, which is just outside of London and close in proximity to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA), the European equivalent of the FDA. The Discovery Europe staff come with extensive experience in clinical research gained at major pharmaceutical companies and prominent contract research organizations. Additionally, they have valuable expertise in conducting neonatal clinical research throughout Europe as well as in the United States. The location of the office allows Discovery to work more closely with European regulatory agencies, medical experts and potential business partners.

Mr. Steve Saunders, Clinical Project Manager for Discovery Europe said, "We are very excited to be associated with the Surfaxin(R) program. We believe it holds great promise as the only viable humanized, peptide-containing, synthetic surfactant to treat a variety of respiratory distress syndromes. In conjunction with our development partner Esteve of Spain, we plan to initiate late stage clinical trials of Surfaxin(R) in the next several months."

Robert Capetola, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Discovery said, "The establishment of an office in the U.K. gives us a presence in Europe from which to run our clinical trials. This exemplifies our global strategy of hands-on managing and running clinical trials with Discovery personnel. We believe that by incentivizing our own personnel, who are primarily responsible for directing our clinical trials, we have the greatest possibility of ultimate success."

Discovery is a bio-pharmaceutical company whose mission is to develop and commercialize medically novel therapeutics for critical care. Presently, Discovery is developing Surfaxin(R) to treat respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature infants, meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) in full-term newborns, direct acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), acute lung injury (ALI); and SuperVent(TM) to treat cystic fibrosis. Currently, Surfaxin(R) is the subject of a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial in MAS. Surfaxin(R) was licensed by Discovery from Johnson and Johnson and was originally invented at The Scripps Research Institute. More information about Discovery is available on the company's web site at: www.discoverylabs.com.

To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, including statements as to future financial conditions, future collaboration agreements, the success of the Company's product development, or otherwise as to future events, such statements are forward-looking, and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements contained in this release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Among the factors which could affect the Company's actual results and could cause results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements contained herein are the risk that financial conditions may change, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise additional capital or enter into additional collaboration agreements, risks relating to the progress of the Company's research and development and the development of competing therapies and/or technologies by other companies. Those associated risks and others are further described in the Company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the most recent reports on Form 10-KSB, 8-K and 10-QSB, and amendments thereto.