Barr Announces Approval of Generic Yasmin(R)

MONTVALE, N.J. (Map) - MONTVALE, N.J., May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: BRL) today announced that its subsidiary, Barr Laboratories, Inc., has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to manufacture and market a generic version of Yasmin(R) (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol), an oral contraceptive product manufactured and marketed by Bayer Schering Pharma, AG.

On March 3, 2008 Barr announced that the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey had ruled in favor of its subsidiary, Barr Laboratories, Inc., in the challenge of the patent listed by Bayer Schering Pharma, AG for its Yasmin product. In his ruling, Judge Peter G. Sheridan found that the patent at issue was invalid, because it was obvious. On April 1, 2008, Bayer Schering appealed this ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Yasmin is a 28-day oral contraceptive consisting of 21 active tablets each containing 3 mg of drospirenone and 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 7 inert tablets. Yasmin is indicated for the prevention of pregnancy in women who elect to use an oral contraceptive. The product had annual sales of approximately $575 million for the twelve months ended February 2008, based on IMS sales data.

About Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a global specialty pharmaceutical company that operates in more than 30 countries worldwide and is engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. A holding company, Barr operates through its principal subsidiaries: Barr Laboratories, Inc., Duramed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and PLIVA d.d. and its subsidiaries. The Barr Group of companies markets more than 120 generic and 27 proprietary products in the U.S. and approximately 1,025 products globally outside of the U.S. For more information, visit www.barrlabs.com.

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