Santarus Announces Launch of Zegerid Products by GlaxoSmithKline in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands

Feb 19, 2008 - Santarus, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNTS), a specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) has launched ZEGERID(R) (omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate) Capsules and ZEGERID (omeprazole/sodium bicarbonate) Powder for Oral Suspension in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The ZEGERID products were developed by Santarus and are the first and only immediate-release oral proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) commercialized in the U.S. According to the market research firm IMS Health Incorporated, retail sales of prescription PPI products in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were approximately $124 million for the 12 months ended September 30, 2007 and grew at 24% compared with the prior 12 month period.

We are very pleased that GSK, a highly regarded global pharmaceutical company with well-established commercialization capabilities, is making our ZEGERID products available to patients in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands," said Gerald T. Proehl, president and chief executive officer of Santarus, Inc. "GSK has long demonstrated success in marketing products in the gastrointestinal therapeutic area, and we believe it is the ideal partner to bring physicians in these regions the message about the benefits of ZEGERID products."

Santarus and GSK entered into a distribution agreement in November 2007 under which GSK will distribute, market and sell ZEGERID brand prescription products in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. At the same time, Santarus licensed rights to GSK to develop, manufacture and commercialize immediate-release omeprazole products in up to 114 countries in GSK's International Region, including in Africa, Asia, the Middle-East, and Central and South America. According to IMS Health, retail sales of PPI products in the covered territories were estimated to be approximately $2 billion for the 12 months ended September 30, 2007 and grew at approximately 22% compared with the prior 12 month period. The license agreement excludes the U.S., Europe, Australia, Japan and Canada.