Amylin Sends Letter to Shareholders( Urges Shareholders to Support the Boa...),Health

Urges Shareholders to Support the Board's Strategy and Vote the BLUE Proxy Card Today to Elect Amylin's Highly-Qualified Nominees

SAN DIEGO, May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN) today announced that it is mailing a letter to shareholders in connection with the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders on May 27, 2009. Amylin urges all shareholders to vote FOR Amylin's Directors on the BLUE proxy card today and reject the nominees of both Carl Icahn and Eastbourne Capital Management, L.L.C.

The text of the letter from Daniel M. Bradbury, President and Chief Executive Officer, and James N. Wilson, Lead Independent Director, is below:

Dear Fellow Amylin Shareholder:

AMYLIN IS POISED TO REVOLUTIONIZE TREATMENT OF DIABETES AND DELIVER VALUE TO SHAREHOLDERS

Within the next two decades, cases of diabetes are estimated to grow by 55% globally. With over 23 million people with diabetes in the U.S. last year, Amylin is at the center of a rapidly growing market and has the opportunity to deliver transformational therapies to an increasing number of diabetes patients.

If approved by the FDA, Amylin's exenatide once weekly will be the first once-a-week treatment for type 2 diabetes. With no similar drug on the market, we believe it has the potential to transform the treatment of diabetes through its efficacy and convenient once-weekly administration.

To ensure that you benefit from this value opportunity, it is imperative that Amylin has the best possible Board of Directors. Accordingly, your Board strongly recommends that shareholders support Amylin by voting for your Company's highly qualified, dedicated nominees on the BLUE proxy card TODAY - by telephone, Internet, or by signing
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