West Pharmaceutical Services Announces European and Asian Manufacturing Sites for Westar RS Pharmaceutical Components.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

LIONVILLE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2003

West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE: WST) today announced it will be adding Westar(R) RS processing capabilities to its facilities in Le Nouvion, France; Eschweiler, Germany; and Jurong, Singapore. These sites will be registered with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and each will be supported by a Drug Master File (DMF) with the FDA. Westar RS is the trade name for pharmaceutical components that are washed, may be pre-siliconised and are delivered to pharmaceutical manufacturers ready-to-sterilize.

The facilities will adhere to applicable Current Good Manufacturing Processes (CGMP) requirements and will produce components meeting the same specifications for bacterial endotoxin, bioburden and particulate levels as for ready-to-sterilize components processed at West's facility in the United States. The extensive validation of the Westar RS process complies with European regulatory requirements and assures consistently high quality products.

"The Westar RS process is unique in that it was developed in the United States and has been widely integrated into our customers' processes there for more than five years," said Robert Keating, President of West's Pharmaceutical Services Division, Europe and Asia. "We are pleased that now we can offer regional sourcing to help our European and Asian customers register their products for sales in the U.S."

Value to Manufacturers

When specifying Westar RS products, manufacturers transfer portions of their component preparation process to West Pharmaceutical Services. West's stringent requirements for quality, validated processes and adherence to CGMPs, assure that product meets defined specifications. The information from the Westar process is documented provided for U.S. and Canadian registrations in site specific DMFs. A letter of authorization to reference the DMF can be obtained from West's U.S. headquarters.

About West Pharmaceutical Services

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) is a global drug delivery technology company that applies proprietary materials science, formulation research and manufacturing innovation to advance the quality, therapeutic value, development speed and rapid market availability of pharmaceuticals, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. West is the world's premiere provider of standard-setting systems and device components for parenterally administered medicines and an emerging leader in the development of advanced formulation technologies for the transmucosal delivery of drugs. Internationally headquartered in Lionville, Pennsylvania, West supports its partners and customers from 50 locations throughout North America, South America, Europe, Mexico, Japan, Asia and the Pacific and Australia. For more information, visit West at www.westpharma.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this document or in other company documents and certain statements that may be made by management of the Company orally may contain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historic or current facts. They use words such as "estimate," "expect," "intend," "believe," "plan," "anticipate" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or condition. In particular, these include statements concerning future actions, future performance or results of current and anticipated products, sales efforts, expenses, the outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings, and financial results.

Because actual results are affected by risks and uncertainties, the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward looking statement.

It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks and uncertainties, but factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results include, but are not limited to: sales demand, timing of customers' projects; successful development of proprietary drug delivery technologies and systems; regulatory, licensee and/or market acceptance of products based on those technologies; competitive pressures; the strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar; inflation; the cost of raw materials; the availability of credit facilities; and, statutory tax rates. With respect to the explosion and fire at the Company's Kinston, NC plant, the following factors should also be taken into consideration: the timely replacement of production capacity; the adequacy and timing of insurance recoveries for property losses; the unpredictability of existing and future possible litigation related to the explosion and the adequacy of insurance recoveries for costs associated with such litigation; government actions or investigations affecting the Company; the ability of the Company to successfully shift production and compounding capacity to other plant sites in a timely manner, including the successful integration of experienced personnel to other production sites; the extent of uninsured costs for, among other things, legal and investigation services and incremental insurance; and regulatory approvals and customer acceptance of goods from alternate sites.

The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements as circumstances change. Investors are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in the Company's 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K reports.

Westar(R) is a registered trademark of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.