Filing of Exubera in US

RNS Number:2560J
Bespak PLC
02 March 2005


For immediate release                                              2 March 2005



Bespak plc



           Welcomes regulatory filing of Exubera in the United States



Bespak plc (LSE: BPK), a leader in specialty medical devices, is pleased to note
that Pfizer Inc and Sanofi-Aventis announced today that the United States Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing a new drug application for
Exubera(R) (inhaled human insulin powder).



In conjunction with Nektar Therapeutics Inc, Bespak is developing the
manufacturing process for the drug delivery device, which it will manufacture in
its Milton Keynes facility.  The timing of full-scale production is still
uncertain and will depend in part on the timing of the approval process.



Pfizer and Sanofi-Aventis seek approval to market Exubera for adult patients
with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.  Exubera is currently also under review by the
European Medicines Evaluation Agency.



Exubera, a dry powder form of insulin that is inhaled into the lungs prior to
eating using a specially designed inhalation device, has been studied in more
than 3500 patients, some for more than seven years.



It is estimated that nearly 180 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes,
and the number is expected to rise to 300 million people in the next 20 years.
Currently, diabetes and its complications account for more than $100 billion in
healthcare costs annually in the United States.



Mark Throdahl, Bespak's Chief Executive, said: "We are delighted that both the
US and European filings have been made  and we look forward to participating in
the commercial success of Exubera by supplying the delivery device."





For further information please call:


Bespak plc
Mark Throdahl - Chief Executive                          [phone]
Martin Hopcroft - Group Finance Director

Buchanan Communications                                  [phone]
Tim Thompson / Mark Court / Mary-Jane Johnson





Notes for Editors:



About Bespak plc

Bespak, a specialty medical devices company, is at the forefront of developing
new delivery systems for the pharmaceutical industry. The company has a product
range covering metered dose inhalers, dry powder devices, actuators and
compliance aids. The company also develops and manufactures drug delivery
devices for leading global pharmaceutical companies. The group, which has
facilities in King's Lynn and Milton Keynes in the UK and in Cary, North
Carolina, in the USA. is a public company quoted on the Official list of the
London Stock Exchange (LSE: BPK).  For more information, please visit
www.bespak.com.


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