Almirall and Forest Announce Positive FDA Advisory Committee’s Recommendation for Approval of Aclidinium Bromide for the Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Barcelona (Spain) and New York, February 24, 2012- Almirall, S.A. (ALM.MC) and Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX) have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee (PADAC) voted 12 to 2  in favor of approving  the New Drug Application (NDA) for aclidinium bromide, a new long-acting antimuscarinic for the maintenance treatment of COPD.  The Committee was also asked to separately evaluate if the efficacy and safety of the 400 ug twice daily dose had been adequately demonstrated. The members voted unanimously (14-0) in favor of efficacy and 10 to 3 in favor of safety, with one member abstaining. 

Committee recommendations, although not binding, will be considered by the FDA as it completes its review of the NDA for aclidinium bromide.   Forest and Almirall anticipate receiving FDA feedback on the filing in the second quarter of calendar year 2012.