Split Verdict in Philadelphia Diet Drug Cases

MADISON, N.J., March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wyeth announced today that the jury in the cases of Marilyn Lyman v. Wyeth, Camille Olsen v. Wyeth, Stephen Schultz v. Wyeth, and Isabel Vega v. Wyeth in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas found in favor of the Company in the Lyman and Schultz cases, and in favor of the plaintiffs in the Olsen and Vega cases.

The verdict came at the close of the damages phase of this bifurcated (two-phase) trial, where the jury found for plaintiff Camille Olsen in the amount of $500,000, and for plaintiff Isabel Vega in the amount of $5 million. The Olsen and Vega cases will now move to the second, liability phase of the trial, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 4, 2005. The Lyman and Schultz cases are now concluded.

"The amounts awarded in these cases are grossly excessive and unsupported by the evidence," said Lawrence V. Stein, Wyeth's general counsel.

The trial began on March 21, 2005 before The Honorable Gary Glazer. The plaintiffs alleged heart valve injury from the use of the diet drug Pondimin, a drug once marketed by Wyeth.

Wyeth is one of the world's largest research-driven pharmaceutical and health care products companies. It is a leader in the discovery, development, manufacturing, and marketing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, biotechnology products and nonprescription medicines that improve the quality of life for people worldwide. The Company's major divisions include Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth Consumer Healthcare and Fort Dodge Animal Health.