Respirics Announces Intention to Divest MD Turbo(TM) Assets.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Respirics Inc. announced today that it has decided to divest its assets relating to MD Turbo([R]). MD Turbo was cleared by the FDA for marketing in 2005 and was launched in the U.S. last year.

MD Turbo, the company's first commercial device, is a companion product designed to assist patients who use pressurized metered dose inhalers (pMDI) for asthma and COPD; the incidence of these diseases in the US alone is over 40 million. MD Turbo solves two major challenges patients have with proper pMDI use: coordination of inhaler actuation with patient inhalation and accounting for how much medication is in an inhaler at any given time.

This decision completes an evaluation that had been underway for some time and indicates the company's decision to focus solely on its Acu-Breathe[TM] dry powder inhaler platform. "MD Turbo is a helpful product and we've received a lot of very positive feedback about the value it can bring to patients who use inhalers," says Gilbert S. Mott Jr., President and CEO of Respirics. "The product has been on the market for a year, and we believe it deserves to be in the hands of a company with resources to vigorously promote it. Consequently, we've decided to sell MD Turbo so the product can receive the attention it merits."

Respirics made a significant investment in the development and manufacturing of MD Turbo, and currently has 34 patents covering intellectual property in the US and abroad. The device accommodates many of the inhalers currently available and can be modified to accommodate others going forward. The product is currently marketed in the US and information about it is available on the company's website at www.mdturbo.net.

About Respirics

Respirics Inc. is a leading pulmonary drug delivery and development company located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company has two proprietary delivery platforms, MD Turbo for use with metered dose inhalers, and Acu-Breathe[TM] single and multi-dose dry powder inhalers. Respirics combines proprietary inhalation technology with powder drug formulation expertise to develop unique drug delivery solutions. The company is committed to bringing effective, easy-to-use and affordable inhalation drug products to the patients who need them. For more information, visit www.respirics.com.