Warner Chilcott Announces Decision in ACTONEL Arbitration


DUBLIN, Ireland, July 15, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Warner Chilcott plc (Nasdaq:WCRX) today announced that it received a decision from the arbitration panel in its previously disclosed arbitration proceeding relating to the termination date of its global collaboration agreement with Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC ("Sanofi"). Under the collaboration agreement, Warner Chilcott and Sanofi co-develop and market ACTONEL on a global basis, excluding Japan, and Warner Chilcott markets its next generation product, ATELVIA, in the United States.   

On July 14, 2011, the arbitration panel rendered its decision, finding that the collaboration agreement will terminate on January 1, 2015, the original expiration date of the agreement. Warner Chilcott had sought a ruling that the termination of its tablet supply agreement with Sanofi would accelerate the termination date of the collaboration agreement to May 2012. 

The decision maintains the original termination date of the agreement, and does not affect the commercial terms of the collaboration in any way. Under the collaboration agreement, Warner Chilcott and Sanofi will continue to promote ACTONEL and ATELVIA products as described above until January 1, 2015, at which time all of Sanofi's rights under the agreement will revert to Warner Chilcott. Thereafter, Warner Chilcott will have the sole right to market and promote ACTONEL and ATELVIA on a global basis, excluding Japan.

About Warner Chilcott

Warner Chilcott is a leading specialty pharmaceutical company currently focused on the gastroenterology, women's healthcare, dermatology and urology segments of the North American and Western European pharmaceuticals markets. The Company is fully integrated with internal resources dedicated to the development, manufacturing and promotion of its products. WCRX-G

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements concerning our operations, our anticipated financial performance and financial condition, and our business plans and growth strategy and product development efforts. These statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words "may," "might," "will," "should," "estimate," "project," "plan," "anticipate," "expect," "intend," "outlook," "believe" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. These forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions by our management that, although we believe to be reasonable, are inherently uncertain and subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The following represent some, but not necessarily all, of the factors that could cause actual results to differ from historical results or those anticipated or predicted by our forward-looking statements: our substantial indebtedness, including increases in the LIBOR rates on our variable-rate indebtedness above the applicable floor amounts; competitive factors in the industry in which we operate, including the approval and introduction of generic or branded products that compete with our products; our ability to protect our intellectual property; a delay in qualifying any of our manufacturing facilities that produce our products or production or regulatory problems with either our own manufacturing facilities or third party manufacturers or API suppliers upon whom we may rely for some of our products; pricing pressures from reimbursement policies of private managed care organizations and other third party payors, government sponsored health systems, and the continued consolidation of the distribution network through which we sell our products; changes in tax laws or interpretations that could increase our consolidated tax liabilities; government regulation, including U.S. and foreign health care reform, affecting the development, manufacture, marketing and sale of pharmaceutical products, including our ability and the ability of companies with whom we do business to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; adverse outcomes in our outstanding litigation or arbitration matters or an increase in the number of litigation matters to which we are subject; the loss of key senior management or scientific staff; our ability to manage the growth of our business by successfully identifying, developing, acquiring or licensing new products at favorable prices and marketing such new products; our ability to obtain regulatory approval and customer acceptance of new products, and continued customer acceptance of our existing products; our ability to realize the anticipated opportunities from the PGP Acquisition; and the other risks identified in our periodic filings including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and from time-to-time in our other investor communications.

We caution you that the foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in our forward-looking statements may not occur. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.



            

Contact Data