New Supply of CroFab™ Snakebite Antivenom Shipping This Week.

Melville, NY – October 21, 2002 – Savage Laboratories®, the pharmaceutical division of Altana Inc., announced today that the Food and Drug Administration has released 2,916 vials (1,458 cartons) of CroFab^TM; (Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab -- Ovine) for immediate shipment. Hospitals and poison centers should contact wholesale distributors directly for local availability. Savage Laboratories anticipates that a second shipment of approximately 3,000 vials (1,500 cartons) of CroFab^TM will be available for shipment by mid-November.

“Given that CroFab^TM supplies were tight during peak season again this year, it’s a good idea for hospitals to take advantage of current availability to stock antivenom for next year,” said Richard C. Dart, MD, PhD, Director, Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, Denver Health Authority and Professor of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

CroFab^TM; is indicated for the management of patients with minimal or moderate North American crotalid envenomation. The term crotalid describes the Crotalidae family of venomous snakes, which includes rattlesnakes, copperheads and cottonmouths/water moccasins. CroFab^TM; was developed and is manufactured by Protherics PLC. Complete prescribing information is available at www.savagelabs.com.

About Savage Labs
Savage Laboratories® is a division of Altana, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Byk-Gulden, a multi-national pharmaceutical company based in Konstanz, Germany. Currently the strategic focus of Savage Laboratories is emergency/critical care and women’s health care. More information is available at www.savagelabs.com.

CONTACT: Russell LaMontagne of Corinth Group Communications, for Savage Laboratories(R), 212/255-5340