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Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Expands Global Presence As European Subsidiary Opens New Office in Basel, Switzerland

Posted on: Tuesday, 19 February 2008, 15:00 CST

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCMP) today announced that its wholly-owned European subsidiary, Sucampo Pharma Europe, Ltd. (SPE) based in Oxford, UK, has opened a branch office in Basel, Switzerland. SPE board member Dr. Alan Chalmers will oversee the office, located at Aeschenvorstadt 71, which will interact with the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products on planned future regulatory submissions for clinical research and product marketing.

Dr. Chalmers has more than 30 years of pharmaceutical industry expertise with major multinational companies in pharmaceutical development, clinical research and regulatory affairs. A member of the Swiss Industrial Pharmacists Association, the Pharmaceutical Society of Basel, and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, Dr. Chalmers is a frequent, invited speaker at international seminars on regulatory authorities, the quality of pharmaceuticals and international regulatory affairs.

"Our new Switzerland office continues the expansion of our European operation and builds upon the strength of our current activities," said Sucampo Pharmaceuticals President and CEO Ryuji Ueno, M.D., Ph.D., Ph.D. "Having a strong presence throughout Europe is an important part of our global product development and marketing strategy. We are pleased to have Dr. Chalmers overseeing the work at our Oxford and Basel offices as we advance AMITIZA through the regulatory process in Europe and other overseas markets, where we have exclusive product commercialization rights. Consistent with our stated goals, we expect to begin submitting EU marketing authorization applications for AMITIZA for chronic idiopathic constipation in the first half of this year."

About Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company based in Bethesda, MD, focuses on the development and commercialization of medicines based on prostones. The therapeutic potential of prostones, which are bio-lipids that occur naturally in the human body, was first identified by Ryuji Ueno, M.D., Ph.D., Ph.D., Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' chairman and chief executive officer. Dr. Ueno founded Sucampo Pharmaceuticals in 1996 with Sachiko Kuno, Ph.D., founding chief executive officer and advisor, international business development. Sucampo Pharmaceuticals has proven success in developing, commercializing and marketing drugs based on prostones. AMITIZA® (lubiprostone), the company's U.S. approved and marketed drug for chronic idiopathic constipation, also is being developed for other gastrointestinal indications with large potential markets. In addition, Sucampo Pharmaceuticals has a robust pipeline of innovative compounds with the potential to target underserved diseases affecting millions of patients worldwide. To learn more about Sucampo Pharmaceuticals and its products, visit www.sucampo.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects for Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. are forward-looking statements made under the provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words "project,""believe,""anticipate,""plan,""expect,""estimate,""intend,""should,""would,""could,""will,""may" or other similar expressions. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including risks relating to: the results of clinical trials with respect to Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' products under development; the timing and success of submission, acceptance and approval of regulatory filings; Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' dependence on the commercial success of AMITIZA; Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' ability to obtain additional funding required to conduct its discovery, development and commercialization programs; Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' dependence on its co-marketing alliance with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; and Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for its discoveries. These and other risks are described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the quarter ended September 30, 2007. Any forward-looking statements in this press release represent Sucampo Pharmaceuticals' views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Sucampo Pharmaceuticals anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while Sucampo Pharmaceuticals may elect to update these forward-looking statements publicly at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

AMITIZA® is a registered trademark of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Source: Business Wire

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