Spring 2003
Quality Of Life Survey Results In Patients
With Pituitary Tumors

Survey results published spring 2003 in the journal Quality Management in Health Care.
Preliminary Study Results.

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New Treatments!

US FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION APPROVES
SOMAVERT® FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACROMEGALY

First in a new class of medicines treats debilitating hormone disease

Peapack, N.J. (March 26, 2003) ¾ Pharmacia Corporation (NYSE:PHA) announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved SOMAVERT® (pegvisomant for injection) for the treatment of acromegaly in patients who have had an inadequate response to surgery and/or radiation therapy and/or other medical therapies, or for whom these therapies are not appropriate. The goal of treatment is to normalize serum IGF-I levels.

Acromegaly is a serious, life-shortening disease triggered by over-secretion of growth hormone, most often caused by a pituitary tumor. This excess of growth hormone leads to overproduction of a second hormone, IGF-I (insulin-like growth factor-l), which contributes to the disabling symptoms and the long-term health problems associated with the disorder. Patients with acromegaly often suffer from headache, excessive sweating, soft-tissue swelling, joint disorders and, perhaps most striking, a progressive coarsening of facial features and enlargement of the hands, feet and jaw. Patients with acromegaly face a mortality rate two to four times higher than the average person, due to such serious long-term complications as heart and respiratory disease, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer.

SOMAVERT is the first in a new class of medicines called growth hormone receptor antagonists and the only medicine designed to specifically block the effects of excess growth hormone in acromegaly. It will be available in the US by prescription within the next few weeks. SOMAVERT was approved by the European Commission in November 2002.

“SOMAVERT is an important medical advance that offers new hope to patients with acromegaly,” said Ariel Barkan, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine, Professor of Neurosurgery and Co-director of the Pituitary and Neuroendocrine Center, University of Michigan Health Systems, and clinical investigator for SOMAVERT. “We are very encouraged by the introduction of SOMAVERT, an important new treatment option for those who are suffering the ravages of this disease,” said Robert Knutzen, acromegaly patient and CEO/Chairman of the Pituitary Network Association, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and information to patients with pituitary disorders.

SOMAVERT was studied in a fixed-dose, randomized clinical trial and in a long-term, open-label, dose-adjusted study in patients with acromegaly. In the pivotal study, SOMAVERT normalized IGF-I levels in up to 82 percent of patients, and in the long-term study, SOMAVERT normalized concentrations of IGF-I in 92 percent of patients. IGF-I level is a biochemical measure of the severity of acromegaly.

“We are excited to bring to market a new treatment for patients with acromegaly,” said Peter Rost, MD, Vice President, Endocrine Care, Pharmacia Corporation. “The addition of SOMAVERT to our portfolio of products to treat pituitary disorders further strengthens our commitment to global leadership in endocrine care.”

The number of patients diagnosed with acromegaly in the US, Europe and Japan is in the tens of thousands. Experts believe the prevalence may be higher, as diagnosis is often delayed for up to 15 years after symptoms begin.2 Traditional treatments for acromegaly include surgery to remove the pituitary tumor, radiation therapy and pharmaceutical treatments.

In clinical studies, elevations of liver tests (ALT and AST) greater than ten times the upper limit of normal were reported in two patients (0.8%) exposed to SOMAVERT. Serial monitoring of liver tests is necessary when beginning and during therapy with SOMAVERT. The most commonly reported adverse events with SOMAVERT occurring
in at least ten percent of patients and at frequencies greater than placebo were infection, pain, diarrhea, nausea, flu syndrome, abnormal liver function tests, and injection-site reactions. The majority of reported adverse events were of mild to moderate intensity and limited duration. SOMAVERT is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to any of its components. The stopper on the vial of SOMAVERT contains latex.

Pharmacia has an established and leading presence in the field of endocrine care.
Pharmacia Corporation (NYSE:PHA) is a top-tier global pharmaceutical company whose innovative medicines and other products save lives and enhance health and wellness. Pharmacia's 43,000 people work together with many diverse stakeholders to bring these benefits to people around the world, and to create new health solutions for the future. On July 15, 2002, Pharmacia and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) announced the signing of a definitive agreement providing for Pfizer to acquire Pharmacia in a stock-for-stock transaction.

For additional patient product information, please contact 1-888-691-6813. For physician/pharmacist information, please contact 1-800-323-4204.
For additional information on Pharmacia, please visit www.pharmacia.com.

For additional patient product information, please contact 1-888-691-6813. or click on link www.somavert.com for patient product information website.

Media Contact
Alma Gregory Baird
908 901 1290 Analyst Contact
Alex Kelly
908 901 7028

SOMAVERT® is a registered trademark of Pharmacia Corporation.





Latest News December 2002

EUROPEAN COMMISSION APPROVES
SOMAVERT® FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACROMEGALY

First in a new class of medicines treats debilitating hormone disease

Peapack, N.J., November 19, 2002 - Pharmacia Corporation (NYSE:PHA) announced today that the European Commission has approved SOMAVERT® (pegvisomant powder and solvent for solution for injection) for the treatment of patients with acromegaly who have had an inadequate response to surgery and/or radiation therapy and in whom an appropriate medical treatment with somatostatin analogues did not normalise IGF-I concentrations or was not tolerated.

Acromegaly is a serious, life-shortening disease triggered by over-secretion of growth hormone, most often caused by a pituitary tumour. This excess of growth hormone leads to overproduction of a second hormone, IGF-I, (insulin-like growth factor-l), which causes the disabling symptoms and the long-term health problems associated with the disorder.

SOMAVERT is the first in a new class of medicines called growth hormone receptor antagonists. SOMAVERT was studied in a randomised clinical trial and in two long-term open label dose adjusted studies in patients with acromegaly. In the long-term studies, SOMAVERT normalised concentrations of IGF-I in more than 90 percent of patients. IGF-I is a measure of the activity of acromegaly, and achieving a normal IGF-I level is a fundamental goal of acromegaly treatment.

SOMAVERT is the first and only medicine designed to specifically block the effects of growth hormone and is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“SOMAVERT is a significant advance in the medical management of acromegaly,” said Peter J. Trainer, BSc, MD, FRCP, Consultant Endocrinologist, Christie Hospital, Manchester, U.K. and lead author of the pivotal SOMAVERT study published by the New England Journal of Medicine. “The approval of this medicine ensures that patients in Europe suffering from acromegaly will soon have access to an additional effective medical treatment for this disease.”

“Now that we have the Commission's approval, we look forward to making this important new treatment available to patients in Europe suffering from acromegaly in the coming months,” said Peter Rost, MD, Vice President, Endocrine Care, Pharmacia Corporation. “The development of SOMAVERT is another example of our commitment to global leadership in endocrine care.”

Patients with acromegaly often suffer from headache, excessive sweating, soft-tissue swelling, joint disorders and, perhaps most striking, a progressive coarsening of facial features and enlargement of the hands, feet and jaw. Untreated, patients with acromegaly face a mortality rate two to four times higher than the average person, due to such serious long-term complications as heart and respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus and some forms of cancer. The number of people with acromegaly is estimated at 40,000 in Europe, the USA and Japan, but experts believe the prevalence may be much higher as diagnosis is often delayed for up to 15 years after symptoms begin. Traditional treatments for acromegaly include surgery to remove the pituitary tumour, radiation therapy and pharmaceutical treatments.

SOMAVERT is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to pegvisomant or any of the excipients. In clinical studies, the most commonly reported adverse events with SOMAVERT occurring in at least 5% of patients were injection site reactions, sweating, headache and asthenia. Lab tests to monitor liver function are recommended during the first six months of therapy with SOMAVERT.

Pharmacia has an established and leading presence in the field of endocrine care. The Company markets GENOTROPIN® (somatropin [rDNA origin] for injection), the world's leading growth hormone, for the treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children and adults, Prader-Willi Syndrome and in children born Small for Gestational Age (SGA). It also markets DOSTINEX® (cabergoline tablets) for the treatment of hyperprolactinemia.

Pharmacia Corporation (NYSE:PHA) is a top-tier global pharmaceutical company whose innovative medicines and other products save lives and enhance health and wellness. Pharmacia's 43,000 people work together with many diverse stakeholders to bring these benefits to people around the world, and to create new health solutions for the future. On July 15, 2002, Pharmacia and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) announced the signing of a definitive agreement providing for Pfizer to acquire Pharmacia in a stock-for-stock transaction that is expected to close by the end of 2002.

SOMAVERT®, GENOTROPIN® and DOSTINEX® are registered trademarks of Pharmacia Corporation.