West Pharmaceutical Services Introduces West FluroTec Barrier Film; State-of-the-Art Parenteral Packaging Technology May Reduce Risk of Costly Drug Contamination

SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 27, 2003--West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST), introduced U.S. manufactured West FluroTec(R) advanced barrier film technology for pharmaceutical closures. Stoppers with West FluroTec film have barrier properties that significantly reduce leachables, extractables and particulates resulting from stopper-drug interaction, while maintaining seal integrity and reducing the potential for drug contamination. Contaminated drugs could harm patients and could result in product recalls costing the drug manufacturer millions of dollars. West FluroTec, a fluorocarbon film, is made from a modified ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) copolymer. The film helps maintain the full strength and shelf life of packaged drugs by reducing absorption and adsorption of the drug product and by providing an effective barrier against organic and inorganic extractables. With the rapid increase in the development of high-performance, bioengineered drugs, lyophilized (or freeze-dried) drugs have become more prevalent. West FluroTec film can be applied to complex-shaped closures, which are typically required for dry powder and lyophilized applications. Product information is available at www.flurotec.com. "With this introduction of FluroTec laminated closures, West is delivering a state-of-the-art closure system for drug manufacturers who face the potential risk of losing million of dollars that could result from a contaminated drug," said Donald E. Morel, Jr., Ph.D., CEO and President of West Pharmaceutical Services. "This technologically superior stopper is being manufactured in the U.S. for the first time. We feel that it will gain rapid market acceptance due to its ability to minimize possible risks while allowing the drug to maintain its therapeutic properties." West Pharmaceutical Services is exhibiting at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exhibition in Salt Lake City, Booth #1718. Technical information about ETFE laminated closures will be presented during the October 28th poster session during the meeting. The poster "Determination of the Effect of ETFE Film on Rubber Extractables" will be standing from 1:30 to 4:30. West FluroTec has been licensed from Daikyo Seiko Ltd., West's partner and a leading manufacturer of high-quality stoppers in Japan. Components with West FluroTec film will be manufactured by West in St. Petersburg, Fla. Components will be transferred to West's facility in Jersey Shore, Pa., where they will be processed as Westar(R) RS ready-to-sterilize stoppers. All West FluroTec components will undergo Westar RS processing, allowing drug manufacturers to streamline their operation by eliminating certain steps of stopper preparation prior to sterilization. West's leadership and expertise in extractible/leachable analysis and testing, prescreening, compatibility and functional drug testing is used by the world's top pharmaceutical companies. About West Pharmaceutical Services West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST) is a global drug delivery technology company that applies proprietary materials science, formulation research and manufacturing innovation to advance the quality, therapeutic value, development speed and rapid market availability of pharmaceuticals, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. West is the world's premier provider of standard-setting systems and device components for parenterally administered medicines and an emerging leader in the development of advanced formulation technologies for the transmucosal delivery of drugs. Internationally headquartered in Lionville, Pennsylvania, West supports its partners and customers from 50 locations throughout North America, South America, Europe, Mexico, Japan, Asia and Australia. For more information, visit West at www.westpharma.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this Report or in other company documents and certain statements that may be made by management of the Company orally may contain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historic or current facts. They use words such as "estimate," "expect," "intend," "believe," "plan," "anticipate" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or condition. In particular, these include statements concerning future actions, future performance or results of current and anticipated products, sales efforts, expenses, the outcome of contingencies such as legal proceedings and financial results. Because actual results are affected by risks and uncertainties, the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement. It is not possible to predict or identify all such risks and uncertainties, but factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from expected and historical results include, but are not limited to: sales demand, timing of customers' projects; successful development of proprietary drug delivery technologies and systems; regulatory, licensee and/or market acceptance of products based on those technologies; competitive pressures; the strength or weakness of the U.S. dollar; inflation; the cost of raw materials; the availability of credit facilities; and, statutory tax rates. With respect to the explosion and fire at the Company's Kinston, NC plant, the following factors should also be taken into consideration: the timely replacement of production capacity; the adequacy and timing of insurance recoveries for property losses; the unpredictability of existing and future possible litigation related to the explosion and the adequacy of insurance recoveries for costs associated with such litigation; government actions or investigations affecting the Company; the ability of the Company to successfully shift production and compounding capacity to other plant sites in a timely manner, including the successful integration of experienced personnel to other production sites; the extent of uninsured costs for, among other things, legal and investigation services and incremental insurance; and regulatory approvals and customer acceptance of goods from alternate sites. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements as circumstances change. Investors are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures the Company makes on related subjects in the Company's 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K reports.