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Exhibit 99
Viropharma Incorporated Appoints Michel de Rosen
President and Chief Executive Officer
EXTON, PA, AUGUST 22, 2000 -- ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq: VPHM) announced
today the appointment of Michel de Rosen as president and chief executive
officer. Claude Nash, ViroPharma's founder and former president and chief
executive officer, will remain chairman of the board of directors. The key
addition of Michel de Rosen to the management team will further the growth of
ViroPharma into a fully-integrated pharmaceutical company focused on developing
innovative products to treat people who suffer from viral diseases.
"ViroPharma has reached a critical point in its evolution," said Claude Nash. "I
wanted my successor to be a visionary with pharmaceutical business experience
and the passion to lead ViroPharma to the next level. Michel has those
qualities. He will be a tremendous asset to our company and I am delighted that
he's decided to join us."
"ViroPharma is a young company that I have come to know well over the last few
months as a member of the board of directors," said Michel de Rosen. "I am
committed to advancing pleconaril toward commercialization, maximizing the
potential of our other product candidates and enhancing our product portfolio so
we can expand our reach into the antiviral market. I believe we will succeed
because of the entrepreneurial spirit of the company - inspired and sustained by
Claude Nash - the quality of ViroPharma's pipeline and partnerships with leading
pharmaceutical companies and its highly motivated people."
Michel de Rosen joined the board of directors of ViroPharma in May 2000. He
spent several years as the chairman of Rhone-Poulenc Pharma and chairman and
chief executive officer of Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (now Aventis Pharma). During his
tenure at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Mr. de Rosen contributed significantly to
rejuvenating and focusing the company's product portfolio, transforming its
research and development, restructuring its business operations, and as a
result, growing the company's revenue and income.
ViroPharma Incorporated is committed to the commercialization, development and
discovery of antiviral pharmaceuticals. The Company is focused on drug
development and discovery activities for viral diseases, including viral
respiratory infection (VRI), hepatitis C and respiratory syncytial virus
disease.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements
relating to the Company's ongoing efforts to obtain regulatory approval for and
commercialize its product candidates. Certain of ViroPharma's product
candidates, including pleconaril, currently are in clinical trials. There can be
no assurance that planned or ongoing clinical trials can be successfully
concluded or concluded in accordance with the Company's anticipated schedule.
The conduct of clinical trials and acquiring regulatory approval
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for investigational pharmaceutical products are subject to risks and
uncertainties. Neither the FDA nor any other regulatory authority has approved
pleconaril or any of ViroPharma's other product candidates for
commercialization. There can be no assurance that FDA or other regulatory
authority approval for pleconaril or any other product candidate under
development by ViroPharma will be granted on a timely basis or at all. Even if
approved, there can be no assurance that pleconaril will achieve market
acceptance. These factors, and other factors that could cause future results to
differ materially from the expectations expressed in this press release,
include, but are not limited to, those described in ViroPharma's most recent
Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release may
become outdated over time. ViroPharma does not assume any responsibility for
updating any forward-looking statements.
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