FEATURE/Hope for Women with Female Sexual Arousal Disorder.

Feature Editors/Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

FEATURE...Women's Health & Wellness

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 2, 2003

VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: VVUS) Long thought to be purely psychological, it is now believed that Sexual Arousal Disorder in women may result from physical or organic causes such as pregnancy, natural childbirth, caesarian birth, hysterectomy or other organic physical causes. ALISTA(TM), a proprietary formulation of alprostadil, applied topically to the female genitalia, for the treatment of Female Sexual Arousal Disorder, was found in recent trials to improve the level of sexual satisfaction of postmenopausal women.

VIVUS, Inc., a pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative therapies for the treatment of quality-of-life disorders in men and women, recently reported the results from its Phase II at-home dose-ranging study of ALISTA. Researchers found that women who received the 400-microgram dose of ALISTA experienced a statistically significant improvement (p less than 0.017) in their level of satisfactory sexual arousal and/or orgasm. The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial included approximately 230 women who received treatment for a period of two months with ALISTA at doses ranging from 200 to 800 micrograms or placebo.

The study results were based on the percentage of sexual encounters that resulted in satisfactory sexual arousal and/or orgasm, as recorded in daily patient diaries. The 400-microgram dose was the same dose associated with a statistically significant increase in the overall sexual response in an in-clinic study completed by VIVUS in 2002. "Right now, current treatment options for female sexual dysfunction are limited," commented Dr. Marc Gittelman, Director of the Miami Center for Sexual Health. "The new ALISTA results may offer hope for patients who experience a physical or organic component to their sexual problems."

ALISTA's active ingredient, alprostadil, is a synthetic version of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), a naturally occurring vasodilating agent. It is the same active ingredient found in VIVUS' product MUSE(R), which is used to treat male erectile dysfunction (ED). ALISTA is believed to increase blood flow to the female genitalia, thereby promoting engorgement and other natural processes that occur during sexual stimulation. Clinical studies have demonstrated that ALISTA is well tolerated both locally and systemically.

VIVUS, Inc. is a pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative therapies for the treatment of quality-of-life disorders in men and women, with a focus on sexual dysfunction. Current development programs target Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD), Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and Premature Ejaculation (PE). The Company developed and markets in the U.S. MUSE(R) (alprostadil) and ACTIS(R), two innovations in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, and has partnered with Meda AB (Stockholm: MEDAa.ST) for the international marketing and distribution of its male transurethral ED products. In Canada, VIVUS has partnered exclusively with Paladin Labs (TSE: PLB) to market and distribute MUSE.

This news release contains forward-looking statements about the potential commercialization of products in treating female sexual dysfunction and reflects management's current beliefs. However, as with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that future clinical studies will confirm the preliminary results discussed in this news release or that any product will receive regulatory approval for any indication. Further, even if the Company were to receive regulatory approval for a product, there could be no assurance that such a product would prove to be commercially successful. Please see the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, the Company's Form 10-K and Forms 10-Q, which identify these and other risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in this news release.