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Exhibit 99
ViroPharma Incorporated Appoints Martin J. Driscoll
Vice President, Commercial Operations and Business Development
Exton, PA, November 14, 2000 -- ViroPharma Incorporated (Nasdaq: VPHM) announced
today the appointment of Martin J. Driscoll as vice president, commercial
operations and business development. In this newly formed position, Mr.
Driscoll initially will focus on continuing to build ViroPharma's commercial
infrastructure to prepare for the introduction of the company's first product,
pleconaril, for the treatment of viral respiratory infection (VRI).
Additionally, Mr. Driscoll will be involved in establishing a co-promotion
partner for pleconaril in the United States, as well as the commercialization
of ViroPharma's additional product candidates for the treatment of hepatitis C
and respiratory syncytial virus disease. He also will be involved in seeking
new opportunities to further enhance the company's product pipeline.
"This is a time of significant growth for ViroPharma," said Michel de Rosen,
ViroPharma's president and chief executive officer. "Marty Driscoll brings to
ViroPharma several essential qualities. He has a proven track record in
successfully commercializing and growing leading respiratory and infectious
disease products. He has exceptional experience in brokering co-promotional
partnerships with several leading pharmaceutical companies. He also brings his
passion to help us grow our business. We look forward to Marty's contribution
to ViroPharma's success."
Mr. Driscoll spent a majority of his career in several leading sales and
marketing positions for Schering-Plough Corporation, including its subsidiary,
Key Pharmaceuticals. Most recently, he was the vice president of sales and
marketing for Schering Primary Care, a unit of Schering Laboratories. During
his tenure at Schering-Plough, he was involved in the successful
commercialization and ongoing sales and growth of several leading infectious
disease and respiratory products including Tequin(R), Claritin(R) and
Proventil.(R) Additionally, he played an integral role in the management of
the company's co-promotion alliances with Bristol-Myers Squibb, COR Therapeutics
and Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Earlier in his career, Mr. Driscoll was
the director of managed care affairs for the Western Region of Schering
Laboratories, where he was involved in managing the company's relationships with
leading managed care accounts including CIGNA, Kaiser and Blue Cross.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements
relating to the Company's ongoing efforts to 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 for investigational pharmaceutical products are
subject to risks and uncertainties. Neither
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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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