Patent Issued for Avanir Licensed Product to Help Break Dependence On Habit-Forming Narcotics

    SAN DIEGO, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals (Amex:   AVN)
 announced today that the United States Patent Office issued U.S. Patent
 No. 6207674 for the use of a combination of dextromethorphan and an oxidase
 inhibitor (known as AVP-923) for the weaning of patients from narcotics and
 anti-depressants.  The patent was issued to the inventor, Dr. Richard Smith.
 Avanir has the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market AVP-923 under
 a sublicense to granted to Avanir in August of 2000.
     The patents claims, among others, that when dextromethorphan and an
 oxidase inhibitor were administered orally to patients who had become
 dependent on morphine and anti-depressants, the patients were able to
 initially reduced their dosages of the narcotics.  With additional dosing, the
 combination allowed patients to terminate all use of morphine and
 anti-depressants, with minimum withdrawal or other adverse affects.
     "The issuance of this patent extends the utility of AVP-923 and reinforces
 our initial impression of the product as a platform for potential treatments
 in many different therapeutic areas," said Gerald J. Yakatan, Ph.D., president
 and CEO of Avanir Pharmaceuticals.
     The company is currently conducting a Phase II/III trial examining the
 effect of AVP-923 in the treatment of emotional lability in Amyotrophic
 Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients and a Phase I dose ranging study for the use
 of AVP-923 in patients with neuropathic pain.
     Avanir Pharmaceuticals, based in San Diego, is an emerging diversified
 biopharmaceutical company engaged in research, development, commercialization,
 licensing and sales of innovative drug products and antibody generation
 services.  The company's website is http://www.avanir.com.
 
     The information contained in this press release, including any
 forward-looking statements contained herein, should be reviewed in conjunction
 with the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other publicly available
 information regarding the company.  Copies of such information are available
 from the company upon request.  Such publicly available information sets forth
 many risks and uncertainties related to the company's business and technology.
 Forward-looking statements often contain such words like "estimate,"
 "anticipate," "believe," "plan" or "expect".  Research findings and patent
 claims are not always supportable by evidenced obtained from subsequent
 clinical trials.  Final review decisions made by the FDA and other regulatory
 agencies concerning clinical trial results are unpredictable and outside the
 influence and/or control of the company.
 
 

SOURCE  Avanir Pharmaceuticals

    SAN DIEGO, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Avanir Pharmaceuticals (Amex:   AVN)
 announced today that the United States Patent Office issued U.S. Patent
 No. 6207674 for the use of a combination of dextromethorphan and an oxidase
 inhibitor (known as AVP-923) for the weaning of patients from narcotics and
 anti-depressants.  The patent was issued to the inventor, Dr. Richard Smith.
 Avanir has the exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market AVP-923 under
 a sublicense to granted to Avanir in August of 2000.
     The patents claims, among others, that when dextromethorphan and an
 oxidase inhibitor were administered orally to patients who had become
 dependent on morphine and anti-depressants, the patients were able to
 initially reduced their dosages of the narcotics.  With additional dosing, the
 combination allowed patients to terminate all use of morphine and
 anti-depressants, with minimum withdrawal or other adverse affects.
     "The issuance of this patent extends the utility of AVP-923 and reinforces
 our initial impression of the product as a platform for potential treatments
 in many different therapeutic areas," said Gerald J. Yakatan, Ph.D., president
 and CEO of Avanir Pharmaceuticals.
     The company is currently conducting a Phase II/III trial examining the
 effect of AVP-923 in the treatment of emotional lability in Amyotrophic
 Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients and a Phase I dose ranging study for the use
 of AVP-923 in patients with neuropathic pain.
     Avanir Pharmaceuticals, based in San Diego, is an emerging diversified
 biopharmaceutical company engaged in research, development, commercialization,
 licensing and sales of innovative drug products and antibody generation
 services.  The company's website is http://www.avanir.com.
 
     The information contained in this press release, including any
 forward-looking statements contained herein, should be reviewed in conjunction
 with the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and other publicly available
 information regarding the company.  Copies of such information are available
 from the company upon request.  Such publicly available information sets forth
 many risks and uncertainties related to the company's business and technology.
 Forward-looking statements often contain such words like "estimate,"
 "anticipate," "believe," "plan" or "expect".  Research findings and patent
 claims are not always supportable by evidenced obtained from subsequent
 clinical trials.  Final review decisions made by the FDA and other regulatory
 agencies concerning clinical trial results are unpredictable and outside the
 influence and/or control of the company.
 
 SOURCE  Avanir Pharmaceuticals