Recordati S.p.A Launches Zanextra(R) in France

MILAN, ITALY--(Marketwire - April 15, 2009) -

Recordati announces that its subsidiary Bouchara Recordati has launched Zanextra® (lercanidipine + enalapril), its new antihypertensive treatment, in France, the largest market for lercanidipine worldwide. This new specialty is already available in Germany, Australia, Ireland, Finland, Denmark, Greece, South Africa and in the Netherlands.

Fixed combinations of more than one antihypertensive agent will play a significant and increasing role in the future hypertension market. The international guidelines for the treatment of hypertension (CHMP Guideline on clinical investigation of medicinal products in the treatment of hypertension; January 22, 2009) establish new aggressive targets for blood pressure control in order to minimize the risk of severe cardiovascular events. Most hypertensive patients, especially those with other associated risk factors, require multiple therapies using more than one drug to keep their blood pressure at desired levels. Large clinical outcome trials show that cardiovascular events are drastically reduced by using modern antihypertensive drug combinations (such as those belonging to the calcium channel blocker and ACE inhibitor classes) as opposed to using older treatments. These findings confirm the usefulness of our new treatment which combines a last generation calcium channel blocker, lercanidipine, with a widely prescribed ACE inhibitor. The efficacy and tolerability of the combined dosages of the drugs have been clinically proven. The advantages of fixed combinations, as opposed to the administration of separate treatments, are significant. The administration of a single pill, in patients who often take a number of different medicines every day, increases compliance, an extremely important factor in chronic treatments aimed at reducing and preventing cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, the cost of therapy is lower, an important point for the containment of pharmaceutical expenditure.

"The launch of Zanextra® in France, the largest market for lercanidipine, is an important event for the growth of our group" stated Giovanni Recordati, Chairman and CEO. "We are confident that the excellent therapeutic characteristics of this new specialty and the quality of our French medical representatives, which has been recognized by doctors in France, will ensure the success of Zanextra®."

Recordati, established in 1926, is a European pharmaceutical group, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (Reuters RECI.MI, Bloomberg REC IM, ISIN IT 0003828271),with a total staff of over 2,900, dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals. It has headquarters in Milan, Italy, operations in the main European countries, and a growing presence in the new markets of Central and Eastern Europe. A European field force of over 1,400 medical representatives promotes a wide range of innovative pharmaceuticals, both proprietary and under license, in a number of therapeutic areas including a specialized business dedicated to treatments for rare diseases. Recordati's current and growing coverage of the European pharmaceutical market makes it a partner of choice for new product licenses from companies which do not have European marketing organizations. Recordati is committed to the research and development of new drug entities within the cardiovascular and urogenital therapeutic areas and of treatments for rare diseases. Consolidated revenue for 2008 was EUR 689.6 million, operating income was EUR 144.7 million and net income was EUR 100.4 million.

For further information:

Recordati website: www.recordati.com

Investor Relations

Marianne Tatschke

(39)0248787393

e-mail: inver@recordati.it

Media Relations

Claudio Rossetti (Echo Comunicazione d'Impresa)

(39)02 62694736

e-mail: crossetti@echocom.it

Statements contained in this release, other than historical facts, are "forward-looking statements" (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements are based on currently available information, on current best estimates, and on assumptions believed to be reasonable. This information, these estimates and assumptions may prove to be incomplete or erroneous, and involve numerous risks and uncertainties, beyond the Company's control. Hence, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All mentions and descriptions of Recordati products are intended solely as information on the general nature of the company's activities and are not intended to indicate the advisability of administering any product in any particular instance.

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