AVANIR Pharmaceuticals Appoints Scott M. Whitcup, M.D., To Board Of Directors

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2005--AVANIR Pharmaceuticals (AMEX:AVN) announced today that Scott M. Whitcup, M.D., has been elected to the company's board of directors to fill a vacancy resulting from the resignation of Kenneth E. Olson. Dr. Whitcup is the Executive Vice President and Head of Research & Development at Allergan, where he is responsible for Allergan's drug discovery efforts as well as the ophthalmology, Botox(R)/neurology, skin care and new technology development programs worldwide. Prior to joining Allergan, Dr. Whitcup was Clinical Director of the National Eye Institute and also served as Chair of the NIH Medical Executive Committee. Dr. Whitcup is Board Certified in both internal medicine and ophthalmology, and is currently on the faculty at the Jules Stein Eye Institute/David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Whitcup graduated from Cornell University and Cornell University Medical College.