Xenical DTC Ad Campaign Gives Dieters the Facts; Campaign is one of the Largest in Pharmaceutical Industry and First Ever for Roche.

NUTLEY, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--September 30, 1999--

Roche is launching a direct-to-consumer advertising campaign today for the weight loss medication Xenical(R) (orlistat) (pronounced: zen'i-cal) that will focus on appropriate use of the drug and debunk misperceptions that losing weight can be effortless or achieved without a commitment to dietary and behavior modification. The campaign is one of the largest in the pharmaceutical industry and the first ever branded effort for a Roche product.

"The public has long been misguided by advertisers who promise an easy way to rapidly and dramatically change a person's appearance. We hope to reverse that trend by approaching weight loss as a healthy priority - not a cosmetic problem that can be remedied with a quick fix pill," said Myron Holubiak, President of Roche Laboratories. "Xenical can significantly improve weight loss and reduce weight-related health risk factors when used as part of a medically supervised treatment plan including a reduced calorie diet. People who want to lose weight need to know that there is no magic bullet here or on the horizon."

The first-of-its-kind campaign comes at a time when the rate of obesity is escalating to epidemic levels with almost 100 million Americans considered overweight or obese. Each year in the United States, obesity-related diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol contribute to 300,000 deaths and are associated with $238 billion in healthcare costs.

Today, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.

Campaign Roll Out

The campaign will initially roll out with newspaper ads in 12 major markets September 30. National television spots will begin October 4 around prime time programming including "Friends" and "Touched by an Angel," as well as high profile network specials like "Monday Night Football" and "Barbara Walters." National magazine ads will begin in mid-October in publications such as Time, People and TV Guide. National and spot radio advertising starts shortly.

Two primary themes will be featured in the television campaign. The first, called "Facts," addresses the misperceptions often associated with weight loss products and encourages realistic expectations for weight loss with Xenical. The second, called "Food Lover," portrays America's love for food and assures that weight management with Xenical doesn't mean total deprivation of the foods Americans like to eat.

The campaign is designed to educate consumers about Xenical, ensure its appropriate use, help set realistic expectations and present accurate information about weight loss. The campaign helps ensure that patients who are eligible for Xenical have appropriate information and seek a physician's advice about treatment.

Xenical was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 23, 1999. Since its marketing launch in May, Roche has conducted extensive and comprehensive medical education programs to help prepare healthcare professionals in the medical management of obesity. The DTC campaign was developed with the input and guidance of medical professionals who understand the challenges and complexities associated with treating obesity as a disease similar to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

"Patients need to understand that the cosmetic value of weight loss is just an added benefit; more importantly clinical evidence shows that even modest reductions in weight can significantly improve health outcomes," said Louis J. Aronne, MD, Director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program, Cornell University Medical College, and a principal investigator in the Xenical clinical trials. "Xenical has a unique mechanism of action and efficacy that offers patients an important tool in achieving long-term success."

Indications and Usage

Xenical, the only prescription lipase inhibitor approved by the FDA, acts by blocking the absorption of dietary fat by approximately 1/3. The drug is prescribed for obesity management including weight loss, weight maintenance, and to reduce the risk for weight regain after prior weight loss when used in conjunction with a reduced-calorie diet. When compared to diet alone, weight loss with Xenical also results in measurable improvements in certain obesity-related conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Unlike other anti-obesity agents that work in the brain to suppress appetite, Xenical, through its fat-blocking mode of action, works non-systemically in the gastrointestinal tract, not requiring entry into the bloodstream or brain. Blocking 1/3 of fat from digestion means that a patient who ingests 60 grams of fat a day may absorb only 40 grams of fat. The other 20 grams will be excreted through the digestive tract. The drug is recommended for use three times daily with meals that contain up to 30% of calories from fat, consistent with current U.S. dietary guidelines.

Xenical is indicated for obese patients with an initial body mass index (BMI) of greater than or equal to 30 or greater than or equal to 27 in the presence of other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Xenical is contraindicated in patients with chronic malabsorption syndrome or cholestasis (reduced bile flow). Organic causes of obesity, such as hypothyroidism, should be excluded before prescribing Xenical.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are the most commonly observed side effects associated with the use of Xenical and are primarily a manifestation of its mechanism of action. These effects are generally mild and transient and may include oily spotting, flatulence with discharge, fecal urgency, fatty or oily stool, oily evacuation, increased defecation and fecal incontinence, particularly after meals containing more fat than recommended. Maintaining the recommended dietary regimen - containing up to 30% of calories from fat - will help patients lose weight while decreasing some of the possible gastrointestinal effects they may experience while taking Xenical.

Because Xenical partially blocks fat absorption, it has been shown to reduce the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K as well as beta-carotene. Therefore patients are advised to take a daily supplement that contains fat-soluble vitamins and beta-carotene.

Xenical is currently available in most major world markets. To date, more than two million patients have been treated with Xenical worldwide. Consumers who would like additional information on Xenical should call 1-800-746-5456 or visit the Xenical web site at http://www.xenical.com.

Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. is a leading research-intensive pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures and markets numerous important prescription drugs that improve, prolong and save the lives of patients with serious illnesses. The company provides a wide range of medications in the United States through its marketing and sales subsidiary, Roche Laboratories Inc. For more information on Roche Pharmaceuticals in the United States, visit the company's web site at http://www.rocheusa.com.