( -FIXED DOSE COMBINATION WITH DIURETIC ...)New Data Highlights Potential of SPP100 (Tekturna) as Gold Standard,Therapy in Treatment of Hypertension,Health

-FIXED DOSE COMBINATION WITH DIURETIC ACCEPTED FOR REVIEW BY FDA-

BASEL, Switzerland and BRIDGEWATER, NJ, 21 May 2007 - Speedel (SWX: SPPN) today welcomed the significant new results from clinical trials of SPP100 (aliskiren, Tekturna/Rasliez[1]) presented by investigators at the 22nd Annual Scientific Meeting and Exposition of the American Society of Hypertension (ASH) in Chicago, IL, USA. These results confirm the favourable safety and efficacy profile, as well as the potential advantages of this first-in-class once daily direct renin inhibitor for the treatment of hypertension.

Tekturna was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and launched by Novartis in the US in March 2007 to treat hypertension both as monotherapy and in combination with other anti-hypertensives. In September 2006, SPP100 was also submitted by Novartis to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for review in the European Union. Speedel successfully developed SPP100 through Phase I and II clinical trials before Novartis exercised its license-back option in 2002.

Dr. J. Chris Jensen, Speedel Head of Scientific Affairs, commented: "The extensive data presented at this important scientific meeting highlights the potential of SPP100 as the next gold standard in the treatment of hypertension. It is particularly encouraging to note that SPP100 is the only anti-hypertensive therapy which lowers blood pressure and plasma renin activity, irrespective of the amount of renin circulating in the bloodstream."

Speedel also welcomes the announcement today by Novartis that the FDA has accepted for regulatory review the fixed dose combination of Tekturna with the diuretic HCTZ[2]. Single pill fixed dose combinations of different therapies, particularly a diuretic, are commonly used to help patients achieve their blood pressure goals and to improve patient compliance. The submission of Tekturna HCT[3] was base
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