Expanded rights for azelastine and fluticasone combination

Expanded rights for azelastine and fluticasone combination 

Meda and Cipla Ltd, a leading pharma company in India, have expanded the
existing long term collaboration agreement for the combination of azelastine and
fluticasone. Azelastine is an antihistamine and fluticasone a corticosteroid;
both are indicated for nasal treatment of allergic rhinitis. As mono substances
(in the antihistamine and corticosteroid markets respectively) they have leading
positions in the U.S. In the future, a combination of azelastine and fluticasone
in a nasal formulation, may give patients with allergic rhinitis a more
effective treatment than current therapies. 

In collaboration with Cipla, Meda has been developing this combination for the
North American markets during the past years. The product is currently in phase
III and the remaining clinical studies are expected to be completed during the
second half of 2010. Meda and Cipla have now agreed to extend the collaboration
to include other key markets such as Europe, Japan, Brazil, South Korea and
Australia.

“This product could become the first combination of an antihistamine and
corticosteroid in a nasal formulation, which would strengthen Meda's position in
the allergy area. I'm delighted that we have expanded our rights to this
product”, said Anders Lönner, CEO Meda AB.

Meda will pay Cipla 5 MUSD upon regulatory approval in the first market and up
to 10 MUSD as other milestone payments. Cipla will manufacture the product.

For more information contact:

Anders Larnholt, VP Corporate Development & Investor Relations	tel. +46 709 458
878

MEDA AB (publ) is a leading international specialty pharma company. Meda's
products are sold in 120 countries worldwide and the company is represented by
its own organizations in more than 40 countries. The Meda share is listed under
Large Cap on the Nasdaq OMX Nordic Stock Exchange in Stockholm. Find out more,
visit www.meda.se.