Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and MediVas Announce Research Partnership to Develop Advanced Hemophilia Therapies

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and MediVas Announce Research Partnership to Develop Advanced Hemophilia Therapies

February 05, 2007

Wyeth - World's Fourth Largest Biopharmaceutical Company -
Seeks to Further Its Innovation in Hemophilia


    MADISON, N.J., Feb. 5 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- As part of
its ongoing commitment to provide advanced therapies for
hemophilia, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth
(NYSE: WYE), announced the signing of a research
collaboration with MediVas, LLC, a San Diego, California,
biomaterials company specializing in improved delivery of
biologics. This collaboration was initiated to discover,
develop, manufacture and commercialize novel
biopharmaceuticals that extend the duration of action of
recombinant factor treatments for hemophilia. 

    MediVas will employ a unique polymer-based drug
delivery system to develop advanced delivery methods for
recombinant hemophilia products and improve patient
convenience through the creation of a longer half-life for
these proteins.

    "Our new research collaboration is in keeping with
Wyeth's strong presence in biopharmaceuticals and the
history of innovation in hemophilia research.  The novel
approach of polymer-based delivery systems could offer
promise for other therapeutic applications," says
Cavan Redmond, Executive Vice President and General
Manager, BioPharma Business Unit at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
 
    Under the terms of the agreement with Wyeth, MediVas
will receive milestone payments associated with
development, regulatory filings and approvals and royalty
payments based on net sales of products.  Wyeth will
research, develop, manufacture and market any products
derived from the agreement.

    "We are hopeful that by combining recombinant
hemophilia products with our best-in-class polymer delivery
system, we can offer an alternative to the intravenous
administration of these proteins.  We also believe this
agreement will be part of a far-reaching relationship
between the two companies in many therapeutic areas,"
says Kenneth W. Carpenter, President and CEO of MediVas. 

    Hemophilia is a rare, inherited blood clotting
disorder, which affects approximately 130,000 worldwide. 
People with hemophilia are deficient in one of the key
proteins - either Factor VIII (hemophilia A) or Factor IX
(hemophilia B) - that are vital in the clotting cascade to
prevent bleeding.  Both forms of hemophilia are
characterized by spontaneous hemorrhages or prolonged
bleeding, typically into joints and soft tissue.  Patients
with hemophilia A or hemophilia B are dependent on protein
replacement therapy with Factor VIII or Factor IX,
respectively, for life.  

    Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has leading products in the areas
of women's health care, cardiovascular disease, central
nervous system, inflammation, transplantation, hemophilia,
oncology, vaccines and nutritional products.  Wyeth is one
of the world's largest research-driven pharmaceutical and
health care products companies.  It is a leader in the
discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of
pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology products and
non-prescription medicines that improve the quality of life
for people worldwide.  The Company's major divisions include
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Fort
Dodge Animal Health.

    The statements in this press release that are not
historical facts are forward-looking statements based on
current expectations of future events and are subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied by such
statements.  These risks and uncertainties include risks
associated with the inherent uncertainty of the timing and
success of product research, development and
commercialization (including with respect to our pipeline
products), drug pricing and payment for our products by
government and third-party payors, manufacturing, data
generated on the safety and efficacy of our products,
economic conditions including interest and currency
exchange rate fluctuations, changes in generally accepted
accounting principles, the impact of competitive or generic
products, trade buying patterns, global business operations,
product liability and other types of litigation, the impact
of legislation and regulatory compliance, intellectual
property rights, strategic relationships with third
parties, environmental liabilities, and other risks and
uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time
in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including our current reports on Form
8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual report on
Form 10-K, particularly the discussion under the caption
"ITEM 1A, RISK FACTORS."  We assume no obligation
to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether
as a result of new information, future developments or
otherwise.  


    For more information, please contact:

    Media: 

     Gerald Burr
     Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
     Tel:  [phone]

     Candace Steele
     Wyeth Pharmaceuticals
     Tel:  [phone]

    Investors: 

     Justin Victoria, Wyeth
     Tel:  [phone] 


SOURCE  Wyeth Pharmaceuticals