Par Pharmaceutical Wins On Invalidity In Ultram® ER Litigation

Woodcliff Lake, NJ /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. (NYSE: PRX) today announced that the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware has ruled in favor of Par in its challenge of Purdue's patents relating to extended-release tramadol, which are listed in the Orange Book for Ortho-McNeil's Ultram® ER product. Par earlier announced that it had filed an ANDA seeking marketing approval for generic extended-release tramadol, and that it was the first-filed ANDA with respect to the Ultram ER product.

Par currently has tentative approval on two of the three strengths (100mg and 200mg) of tramadol ER. Par intends to review its options with respect to its tramadol ER ANDA.

About Par Pharmaceutical

Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets generic drugs and innovative branded pharmaceuticals for specialty markets. For press release and other company information, visit www.parpharm.com.

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Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. To the extent any statements made in this news release contain information that is not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking and, as such, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from those expressed herein. Risk factors that might affect such forward-looking statements include those set forth in Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, in Item 1A of the Company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, in other of the Company's filings with the SEC from time to time, including Current Reports on Form 8-K, and on general industry and economic conditions. Any forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date hereof only, based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and, subject to any applicable law to the contrary, the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc.