Kos Pharmaceuticals Broadens Leadership Team.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2003

Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:KOSP) announced today that it has appointed new senior executives to its leadership team. In two newly created positions, Andrew Koven joins Kos as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Dr. Ralf Rosskamp as Senior Vice President, Research and Development. These new appointments will add significant depth and experience to the Kos leadership team and will help continue the Company's success with respect to providing innovative differentiated therapies to health-care practitioners and patients.

Mr. Koven will oversee all of Kos' legal affairs, including general administrative, transactional, and intellectual property matters. He brings more than 22 years of broad legal experience, including over ten years of pharmaceutical industry experience in both the private and public sector. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Lavipharm, a U. S. based pharmaceutical manufacturer. Prior to that, Mr. Koven held a series of high-level positions with Warner-Lambert, culminating with his role as Assistant General Counsel of Pharmaceuticals in North America, in which he managed all legal aspects of the Company's North American pharmaceutical business, including the negotiation and drafting of option and licensing agreements, joint venture transactions, and acquisitions. After receiving his B.A. from Dalhousie University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and his LL.B. from Dalhousie University Law School, Koven earned his LL.M. from Columbia University School of Law.

Dr. Rosskamp will be responsible for the discovery, development and lifecycle management of new Kos products in addition to strengthening the Company's existing product portfolio. He joins Kos with 25 years of broad medical experience and 13 years industry experience in directing worldwide clinical research and development activities for diabetes, obesity, atherosclerosis, rheumatology and osteoporosis. He was most recently with Aventis Pharmaceuticals as Vice President, Global Therapeutic Area of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Rheumatology & Bone, Global Clinical Research and Development. Prior to that, Dr. Rosskamp had been with Germany-based Hoechst Marion Roussel, as Vice President, Global Therapeutic Area Endocrinology & Metabolism, Global Clinical Research and Development. In these roles, Dr. Rosskamp was involved in obtaining the approval of Lantus and Amaryl in the U.S. and Europe, Actonel Once Daily in the U.S., Europe and Japan, and the approval of Trimegestone in Europe. He also conducted phase III studies for the inhaled insulin, Exubera, in cooperation with Pfizer, and was active in the establishment of a Worldwide Therapeutic Area Organization. Dr. Rosskamp completed his Medical Studies at the University of Aachen, Berlin and Bonn, received his Doctorate from the Medical Faculty of the University of Bonn and his registration as Specialist in Pediatrics from Dusseldorf, College of Physicians.

In addition, Kos has appointed Sundar Kodiyalam as Vice President of Business Development and Licensing (BD&L). In this capacity, Mr. Kodiyalam will be responsible for executing key business development and licensing initiatives for the Company, including the in- and out-licensing of complementary products and the establishment of various development and commercialization partnerships. Mr. Kodiyalam brings to Kos 16 years of broad industry and pharmaceutical experience. He most recently held a position with Ortec International, a biotechnology company, as Vice President, Commercial Development. Prior to Ortec, Mr. Kodiyalam served as the Director of BD&L with Schering-Plough, where he identified and evaluated several in- and out-licensing opportunities, and concluded the co-promotion arrangement for Tequin between Schering and Bristol Myers Squibb. Mr. Kodiyalam holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Madras University and a Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Administration from Ohio State University.

"The distinguished background and considerable and diversified experience of these new key executives will be a significant asset to Kos and will further enhance the dynamic growth that we expect for the Company in the coming years," said Adrian Adams, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Supported by our other talented and passionate employees and stimulating culture, we look forward to drawing upon their extensive pharmaceutical and management expertise, as we continue to pursue the many exciting opportunities that lie ahead."

Kos Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (http://www.kospharm.com) is a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in developing, commercializing, manufacturing and marketing proprietary prescription products for the treatment of chronic diseases. The Company's principal product development strategy is to reformulate existing pharmaceutical products with large market potential to improve safety, efficacy, or patient compliance. The Company currently markets Niaspan(R) and Advicor(R) for the treatment of cholesterol disorders. Kos is developing additional products and has proprietary drug delivery technologies in solid-dose and aerosol metered-dose inhalation administration.

Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the Company's ability to continue to provide innovate therapies, to discover and develop new products, to strengthen the Company's existing product portfolio, the ability to execute key business development and licensing initiatives, and the continued growth of the Company are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties. A more detailed discussion of risks attendant to the forward-looking statements included in this press release are set forth in the "Forward-Looking Information: Certain Cautionary Statements" section of Kos' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2002, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other reports already filed with the SEC.