Biota Announces Relenza Royalty for December 2009 Quarter

Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA) today announced that it had received written notification from GlaxoSmithKline that Relenza sales were $462 million and indicative royalties were $32.6 million, for the three months ended 31 December 2009. The figures were calculated on an Australian dollar exchange rate of 1.8182 to the UK pound, although the actual payment will be calculated on exchange rates at 30 April 2010.

Biota will report first half indicative Relenza royalty income of $56.7 million (2008: $3.8m) when it releases its Interim Report on 17 February 2010.

About Biota

Biota is a leading anti-infective drug development company based in Melbourne Australia, with key expertise in respiratory diseases, particularly influenza. Biota developed the first-in-class neuraminidase inhibitor, zanamivir, subsequently marketed by GlaxoSmithKline as Relenza. Biota research breakthroughs have included novel nucleoside analogues designed to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, licensed to Boehringer Ingelheim, and a series of candidate drugs aimed at treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease. Biota has clinical trials underway with its lead compound for human rhinovirus (HRV) infection in patients with compromised respiration or immune systems.

In addition, Biota and Daiichi Sankyo co-own a range of second generation influenza anti-virals, of which the lead product laninamivir, is in late stage clinical development.

Relenza™ is a registered trademark of the GlaxoSmithKline group of companies.

*Further information available at www.biota.com.au