EXTON, Pa., June 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ViroPharma Incorporated today announced that it was selected for listing on the Russell 3000(R) Index when Russell Investment Group reconstitutes its family of U.S. indexes on June 30, 2006, according to a preliminary list of additions posted Friday on http://www.russell.com.
Membership in the Russell 3000, which remains in place for one year, means automatic inclusion in the large-cap Russell 1000(R) Index or small-cap Russell 2000(R) Index as well as the appropriate growth and style indexes. Russell determines membership for its equity indexes primarily by objective, market capitalization rankings and style attributes.
“I am delighted that ViroPharma has been selected for inclusion in the Russell 3000 Index; we believe that this will continue to enhance our exposure within the investment community, and expect this to be a positive development for our shares and for our shareholders,” stated Michel de Rosen, ViroPharma’s chief executive officer.
Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies. An industry-leading $3.8 trillion in assets currently are benchmarked to them. Investment managers who oversee these funds purchase shares of member stocks according to that company’s weighting in the particular index.
Annual reconstitution of Russell indexes captures the 3,000 largest U.S. stocks as of the end of May, ranking them by total market capitalization to create the Russell 3000. The largest 1,000 companies in the ranking comprise the Russell 1000 while the remaining 2,000 companies become the widely used Russell 2000. These investment tools originated from Russell’s multi-manager investment business in the early 1980s when the company saw the need for a more objective, market-driven set of benchmarks in order to evaluate outside investment managers.
About Russell
Russell, a global leader in multi-manager investment services, provides investment products and services in 44 countries. Russell manages more than $167 billion in assets and advises clients worldwide representing $2.4 trillion. Founded in 1936, Russell is a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual and is headquartered in Tacoma, Wash., with additional offices in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland and Tokyo. For more information, go to http://www.russell.com.
About ViroPharma Incorporated
ViroPharma Incorporated is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of products that address serious diseases treated by physician specialists and in hospital settings. ViroPharma commercializes Vancocin(R), approved for oral administration for treatment of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis caused by Clostridium difficile and enterocolitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin- resistant strains (for prescribing information, please download the package insert at http://www.viropharma.com/docs/pulvules_pi.pdf). ViroPharma currently focuses its drug development activities in viral diseases including cytomegalovirus (CMV) and hepatitis C (HCV). For more information on ViroPharma, visit the company’s website at http://www.viropharma.com.
Disclosure Notice
Certain statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including those relating to the company’s ability to enhance its exposure with the investment community and that addition to the Russell 3000 will be a positive development for ViroPharma shares and shareholders. Our actual results could differ materially from those results expressed in, or implied by, these forward- looking statements. Conducting clinical trials for investigational pharmaceutical products is subject to risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that ViroPharma will be successful in gaining regulatory approval of any of its product candidates, gain enhanced visibility with the investment community or execute on its business plans. These factors, and other factors, including, but not limited to those described in ViroPharma’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause future results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in this press release. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release may become outdated over time. ViroPharma does not assume any responsibility for updating any forward-looking statements.
ViroPharma Incorporated
CONTACT: William C. Roberts, Director, Corporate Communications,+1-610-321-6288, or Robert A. Doody, Manager, Corporate Communications,+1-610-321-6290, both of ViroPharma Incorporated
