Akorn Announces $3.5 Million Purchase Order For Calcium-DTPA and Zinc-DTPA

Akorn, Inc. (AMEX:AKN) today announced that it has
received a purchase order from the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) for the procurement of Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA. This order
represents a partial exercise of a purchase option that was awarded to
the Company by HHS on December 30, 2005, for the acquisition of up to
an additional one million units of Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA by the United
States Government.
   The purchase order quantities are intended to provide
countermeasures to protect the American military population in the
event of a radiological or nuclear incident. The total value of the
order is approximately $3.5 million. Akorn expects to deliver the
entire order quantity to the United States Government in the fourth
quarter of 2006.
   Arthur S. Przybyl, President and Chief Executive Officer stated,
"This purchase order represents the first time that the Department of
Health and Human Services has exercised its option to purchase
additional quantities of Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA. We anticipate that
additional purchase options will be exercised over the next several
years for these two important antidotes."

   About Akorn, Inc.

   Akorn, Inc. manufactures and markets sterile specialty
pharmaceuticals. Akorn has manufacturing facilities located in
Decatur, Illinois and Somerset, New Jersey and markets and distributes
an extensive line of hospital and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals.
Additional information is available at the Company's website at
www.akorn.com.

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