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Labopharm Inc.

Labopharm secures marketing partners for once-daily tramadol in key European markets
4/22/03

LAVAL, QC, Apr 22, 2003 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) --
Labopharm Inc. (TSX: DDS) today announced that through its wholly owned subsidiary, Labopharm Europe Limited, it has secured marketing agreements for Italy with Gruppo Angelini and for Spain and Portugal with Esteve S.A. for its lead in-house product candidate, a once-daily version of the analgesic tramadol.

`With Italy, Spain and Portugal accounting for more than one-quarter of European Union (EU) drug sales, these agreements represent another important step towards the commercialization of once-daily tramadol in Europe,`said James R. Howard-Tripp, President and Chief Executive Officer, Labopharm Inc. `Establishing partnerships with pharmaceutical companies that possess specific local expertise, strong relationships with medical practitioners, and focused salesforces is key to maximizing the return from once-daily tramadol in Europe.`

Under terms of the revenue sharing agreements, Labopharm will grant Angelini and Esteve the exclusive right to market and sell once-daily tramadol in Italy and its related territories and Spain, Portugal and their related territories, respectively. Labopharm will supply Angelini and Esteve with finished packaged product through its Labopharm Europe subsidiary.

Mr. Howard-Tripp said, `We initially targeted the five largest European pharmaceutical markets -- Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain -- which together account for 85% of all drug sales in the EU. With these two agreements, Labopharm now has marketing partnerships for once-daily tramadol for three of these five markets and is actively working to establish marketing channels in the remaining two. We will then look to conclude agreements for the rest of Europe.`

As previously announced, Labopharm commenced the Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP) process in Europe under which approval in France (the Reference Member State) will allow rapid approval across the European Union (EU). Toward this end, on March 25, 2003, Labopharm submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) with regulatory authorities in France. The Company has secured Aventis France as its marketing partner for once-daily tramadol in France, the largest market for tramadol in Europe. Labopharm is actively engaged in discussions with potential marketing partners for other jurisdictions in Europe, the United States, and globally.

About Gruppo Angelini

Gruppo Angelini is a privately held international conglomerate with pharmaceutical, consumer products and machinery divisions, comprising 20 operating companies. The pharmaceutical division focuses on drug and fine chemical research, development, manufacture and marketing in Italy and abroad, and has more than 1,500 employees. Over its 83 year operating history, Angelini has focused on building leadership positions in niche markets with high-quality products designed to promote health and well-being. Gruppo Angelini has offices in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, and the United States, employs more than 3,000 people and had turnover of more than 1.4 billion Euros in 2001.

About Esteve S.A.

Esteve S.A. is a privately held, international chemical-pharmaceutical company with a 75-year operating history and facilities in Spain, Portugal, Mexico and China. The Company is involved in development, manufacturing and sale of pharmaceuticals and active ingredients with the overall objective of improving health for all individuals, worldwide. Esteve is Spain`s second largest pharmaceutical company and had turnover of more than 650 million Euros in 2002.

About Labopharm`s Once-Daily Formulation of Tramadol

Tramadol is a centrally acting analgesic indicated for moderate to moderately severe pain, which may be associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis, lower back spasm and other acute and chronic conditions. Because it is well tolerated compared to anti-inflammatory drugs, it can be used by patients who are at risk of developing gastrointestinal bleeding and those with kidney problems. Tramadol reduces pain by binding to u-opioid receptors and by inhibiting the re-uptake of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin, offering a unique advantage over other analgesics. In Europe, Tramadol is currently available in generic immediate-release formulations dosed up to six-times daily and branded sustained-release formulations requiring twice-daily dosing. The worldwide market for tramadol is estimated to be in excess of US$1.3 billion annually.

About Labopharm Inc.

Labopharm Inc. is an international pharmaceutical company specializing in the development of drugs using the Company`s advanced controlled-release technology. Labopharm`s core technology, Contramid(R), can be applied to a wide variety of drugs in solid oral dosage form, in order to improve their oral administration and performance. Labopharm`s proprietary technology is used to develop products that are either bio-equivalent to existing, branded products or are new branded products that improve on existing products by providing the therapeutic benefits of controlled-release drug delivery. Labopharm is a public company whose common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol `DDS`.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the Corporation`s current expectations regarding future events. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual events could differ materially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors, including the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the uncertainties related to the regulatory process and the commercialization of the drug thereafter. Investors should consult the Corporation`s ongoing quarterly filings and annual reports for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. The Corporation disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
VIEW ADDITIONAL COMPANY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION: http://www.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/inquiry.cgi?OKEY=54102

For further information: please contact: At Labopharm:James Howard-Tripp, President and CEO, Labopharm, Tel: [phone],jhoward-tripp(at)labopharm.com; At The Equicom Group: Jason Hogan - Toronto,Investor Relations, Tel: [phone], jhogan(at)equicomgroup.com;At Feinstein Kean Healthcare: Harriet Ullman - United States, Media andInvestor Relations, Tel: [phone], hullman(at)fkhealth.com;At National Public Relations: Nathalie Bourque - Montreal, Investor Relations,Tel: [phone], nbourque(at)national.ca
News release via Canada NewsWire, Toronto 416-863-9350


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