Shaman Announces Launch of Direct-Sell Cable Program for Line Extension Product NSF-IB at New York Luncheon.

Business & Health/Medical Editors

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--July 27, 2000

Shaman.com, the main operating division of Shaman Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC BB:SHPH.OB) announced the launch of the Company's new direct-sell cable program at a New York luncheon of financial investors and media on Wednesday July 26th. The premier of the program is scheduled for August 4th and is targeted to audiences of health-care professionals and patient community groups, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome support groups, interested in novel agents to manage diarrhea. The program features Shaman's proprietary product, NSF-IB, a unique anti-diarrheal that relieves recurring diarrhea and the resultant abdominal discomfort or symptoms typically associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other intestinal disorders. NSF-IB works by normalizing ion balance in the intestine through an anti-secretory mechanism. NSF-IB, which is targeted toward the seriously ill patient population, is a line extension of the Company's Normal Stool Formula, NSF(TM).

"The market opportunity for Shaman's NSF-IB is huge," said Lisa Conte, Shaman's President and CEO. "One hundred million people suffer from multiple forms of diarrhea in the U.S., including medication-induced diarrhea, chemotherapy/radiation-induced diarrhea, HIV-related diarrhea, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other serious diarrheas. Many of these patients suffer in silence. NSF-IB relieves diarrhea without causing constipation and allows patients the freedom of being able to take the product for long periods of time with no untoward effect or interference with other medications they might be on."

Shaman recently presented a scientific poster on the significant results of their pivotal Phase III human clinical trial on the safety and efficacy of SP-303, a compound extracted from Croton lechleri which is the principal ingredient in NSF-IB. "This study showed that a group of 400 chronically ill subjects tolerated treatment well and that it was effective with no adverse events or laboratory abnormalities compared to the placebo group," said Thomas Carlson, M.D., Vice President of Medical Ethnobotany at Shaman.

Carlson also noted that a scientific poster presented at the XIII International Medical Conference in Durban, South Africa reported similar results in a study of chronically ill individuals treated with NSF. This 12-month study conducted at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center assessed the long-term efficacy and safety of the NSF extract in 20 subjects. Results showed that even in subjects who continued daily therapy for over 10 months, no serious adverse events or significant laboratory changes were attributable to the product.

"The direct-sell cable program, with it's before and after customer testimonials and discussion with principle investigators Dr. Herbert Dupont, Professor of Medicine, University of Texas, Houston Medical School, and Dr. Johannes Koch, San Francisco General, is powerful tool to put in front of health care professionals and support groups of seriously ill patients," said Marc Sirockman, National Sales Manager, NSF-IB. "With NSF-IB, we are addressing the needs of those who struggle with recurring diarrhea by offering a Freedom Plan, which provides price relief to those who commit to long-term purchase plans. NSF-IB also has a money-back guarantee, to encourage people to take advantage of this opportunity to reclaim the control to lead their lives with freedom and dignity again."

At the luncheon meeting, Conte also recapped the terms of the exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with General Nutrition Corporation (GNC) to market Shaman's NSF(TM) in GNC's health and specialty retail store channels, which increases Shaman's retail access for NSF by 500 percent. Conte also reviewed Shaman's plans to introduce its first weight loss product, a non-ephedrine based, safe and effective weight loss solution. This product will initially be sold in tablet form then later in the SynX dietary product line.

Shaman Pharmaceuticals, Inc., through its main operating division Shaman.com, is a leader in medicinal plant research and commercialization of proprietary dietary supplements. Shaman.com works collaboratively with indigenous communities to discover, harvest and reforest medicinal plants.

This press release contains, among other things, certain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to Shaman's ability to advance its development and research programs. Such statements involve a number of risk and uncertainties including the Risk Factors listed in the Shaman Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10K and 10K/A for the year ended December 31, 1999. These filings are available upon request at 650/952-7070. Also visit Shaman at http://www.Shaman.com.