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Hemispherx and Armada Health Care Enter Agreement to Launch Alferon N Injection(R) Via Specialty Pharmacy Network

Posted on: Monday, 23 April 2007, 09:00 CDT

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. (AMEX: HEB) announced today that they have enter into an agreement with Armada Health Care to launch their natural interferon, Alferon N Injection® (Alferon®), FDA approved for HPV related genital warts, into Armada's Specialty Pharmacy infrastructure. Alferon® is the only naturally derived alpha interferon approved in the United States. Studies have indicated Alferon® produces fewer adverse reactions than recombinant alpha interferon, maintains efficacy when an individual's antibodies may render recombinant interferon ineffective and has higher levels of potency in certain tests. Twenty-two million Americans, according to NIH data, are afflicted by HPV (Human Papillomavirus), for which Alferon® may be indicate in the refractory cases.

This marks Hemispherx's first marketing/distribution collaboration and is the first initiative in their new strategy towards commercialization. Under the terms of the agreement, Hemispherx will utilize Armada's services including patient and physician clinical education, patient level pharmacy services, reimbursement and data reporting.

Specialty Pharmacy is characterized by intense therapeutic management and centrally managed distribution of medications treating chronic health conditions. Specialty Pharmacy serves unique patient populations that often utilize injectable, infusion and biotech drugs. Examples of some of the disease states treated by Specialty Pharmacy are: Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, Hemophilia, Hepatitis, M.S., Pulmonary Hypertension, Renal Dialysis and others. Approximately 3% of the U.S. residents take Specialty Pharmaceuticals with a growth rate twice that of traditional pharmaceuticals (27% vs. 13%).

"We are pleased and optimistic to initiate our commercialization strategy by launching a drug with such potential into our collaboration with Armada", stated Mr. Anthony Bonelli, President and COO of Hemispherx. "The Specialty Pharmacy channel seems to be well suited for our core technologies and offers a promising template for further indications and future product launches".

"Armada is proud to have been selected by Hemispherx as a partner in helping launch this drug into the specialty market", stated Mr. Lawrence Irene, CEO of Armada Health Care. "The national network we have built is unique in every sense and includes some of the largest specialty pharmacies in the industry. Our group is a perfect platform to maximize the introduction of any drug into the specialty market and we are committed to helping make this program a huge success for Hemispherx".

About Armada Health Care

Armada is the largest Specialty Pharmacy group purchasing organization in the industry. The Armada group works with manufacturers, wholesalers, physicians and payers to cultivate strategic alliances and innovative pull-through initiatives to benefit patients nationwide. Armada has a large and growing number of Specialty Pharmacy members throughout the country; this base accounts for nearly $7 billion in annual Specialty Pharmacy spending, which represents approximately 20% of the national Specialty Pharmacy market.

Armada's unparalleled success is driven by pioneering Specialty Pharmacy contract strategies that provide enhanced profitability and prescription information management solutions. Armada also provides sophisticated and fully implemented data collection systems, as well as comprehensive industry reporting that complements its strategic focus on the Specialty Pharmacy marketplace.

More information can be found at www.armadahealthcare.com.

About Hemispherx Biopharma

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the manufacture and clinical development of new drug entities for treatment of seriously debilitating disorders. Hemispherx's flagship products include Alferon N Injection® and the experimental therapeutics Ampligen® and Oragens®. Alferon N Injection® is approved for a category of STD infection, and Ampligen® and Oragens® represent experimental RNA nucleic acids being developed for globally important viral diseases and disorders of the immune system. Hemispherx's platform technology includes large and small agent components for potential treatment of various severely debilitating and life threatening diseases. Hemispherx has in excess of 100 patents comprising its core intellectual property estate, a fully commercialized product (Alferon N Injection®) and GMP certified manufacturing facilities for its novel pharma products. For more information please visit www.hemispherx.net

Information contained in this news release other than historical information, should be considered forward-looking and is subject to various risk factors and uncertainties. For instance, the strategies and operations of Hemispherx involve risk of competition, changing market conditions, change in laws and regulations affecting these industries and numerous other factors discussed in this release and in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any specifically referenced investigational drugs and associated technologies of the Company (including Ampligen®, Alferon LDO and Oragens) are experimental in nature and as such are not designated safe and effective by a regulatory authority for general use and are legally available only through clinical trials with the referenced disorders. The forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of the date of this release. The Company disclaims, however, any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Clinical trials for other potential indications of the approved biologic Alferon N Injection® do not imply that the product will ever be specifically approved commercially for these other treatment indications.

Source: Business Wire

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