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King Pharmaceuticals Announces That It is Now Distributing Bicillin(R) C-R Manufactured at Its Michigan Facility

Posted on: Wednesday, 15 August 2007, 09:12 CDT

King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: KG) today announced that it has begun distributing Bicillin® C-R (penicillin G benzathine and penicillin G procaine injectable suspension) manufactured at the Company's dedicated penicillin manufacturing facility in Rochester, Michigan.

Administered via deep muscular injection, Bicillin® C-R is indicated for the treatment of pediatric and adult infections caused by penicillin-G-susceptible bacteria, including moderately severe to severe upper-respiratory tract infections, scarlet fever, erysipelas, streptococci-related skin and soft-tissue infections, and moderately severe pneumonia and ear infections.

"We are now manufacturing and distributing our full line of Bicillin® products, which includes Bicillin® C-R and Bicillin® L-A," stated Eric J. Bruce, Chief Technical Operations Officer, King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "We remain committed to bringing safe and effective infectious disease treatments to patients and healthcare providers." The Company announced earlier this year that it is manufacturing and distributing Bicillin® L-A (penicillin G benzathine injectable suspension) from its Michigan facility.

Dosing/Packaging/Delivery System

Bicillin® C-R is available in three presentations: Bicillin® C-R Pediatric 900/300 2 mL (21 gauge x 1-inch needle); Bicillin® C-R Pediatric 2 mL (21 gauge x 1-inch needle); and Bicillin® C-R 2 mL (21 gauge x one and one-half-inch needle). Each pre-filled syringe contains 1,200,000 units of active drug in a stabilized aqueous suspension. Bicillin® C-R Pediatric 900/300 is comprised of 900,000 units of penicillin G benzathine and 300,000 units of penicillin G procaine. Bicillin® C-R Pediatric and Bicillin® C-R both contain 600,000 units of penicillin G benzathine and 600,000 units of penicillin G procaine.

All dosages of Bicillin® C-R are delivered via the Becton Dickinson Hypak™ Luer-Lok™ syringe system with the Eclipse™ safety-cover needle. The Bicillin® C-R package cartons contain five pre-filled syringes per thermoform tray, two trays per carton, and 10 needles individually sterilized and packaged.

"For more than 50 years, physicians have utilized Bicillin® C-R as a safe and effective treatment for a variety of susceptible upper respiratory tract infections, moderate to severe pneumonia and skin and soft-tissue bacterial infections," stated Linda Wase, M.D., Executive Vice President of Medical Affairs for King Pharmaceuticals. "When compliance or taking an oral/liquid antibiotic is an issue for pediatric/adult patients, a single IM dose of Bicillin® C-R delivers a therapeutic dose at sustained levels to treat the infection."

About Bicillin® C-R

Please note: Bicillin® C-R and Bicillin® L-A are NOT identical. Bicillin® L-A is the only formulation of intramuscular penicillin G benzathine that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of syphilis. Bicillin® C-R should never be used for the treatment of syphilis.

Bicillin® C-R is contraindicated in individuals with hypersensitivity to any penicillin-type antibiotic or to procaine. Use caution in individuals with histories of significant allergies and/or asthma. Give only by deep intramuscular injection. Do not inject by any other route, such as intra-arterial or intravenous. Do not inject into or near nerves or blood vessels, since such injection might produce neurovascular or other damage.

WARNING: BICILLIN® C-R IS NOT FOR INTRAVENOUS USE. DO NOT INJECT INTRAVENOUSLY OR ADMIX WITH OTHER INTRAVENOUS SOLUTIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF INADVERTENT INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION OF PENICILLIN G BENZATHINE, WHICH HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH CARDIORESPIRATORY ARREST AND DEATH. Prior to administration of this drug, carefully read the WARNINGS, ADVERSE REACTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION sections of the labeling.

Please see full Prescribing Information which may be obtained at www.bicillin.com.

About King Pharmaceuticals

King, headquartered in Bristol, Tennessee, is a vertically integrated branded pharmaceutical company. King, an S&P 500 Index company, seeks to capitalize on opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry through the development, including through in-licensing arrangements and acquisitions, of novel branded prescription pharmaceutical products in attractive markets and the strategic acquisition of branded products that can benefit from focused promotion and marketing and product life-cycle management. For more information about Bicillin® C-R, visit www.bicillin.com.

Source: Business Wire

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