Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA) GSK Imports Additional Relenza To Japan

Melbourne, Feb 11, 2009 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA)(PINK:BTAHY) today announced that GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK) has advised of the current Relenza supply situation in respect to the key market of Japan.

Biota earns a 7% royalty on all global sales of Relenza by GSK.

The GlaxoSmithKline Release is below:

Additional Supply of anti-influenza virus drug Relenza for this flu season

GlaxoSmithKline K.K. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President: Marc Dunoyer, hereinafter referred to as GSK) has decided, based on this season's epidemic situation, to additionally import its anti-influenza virus drug Relenza (generic name: zanamivir hydrate) in order to maintain a stable supply.

2 million packs of Relenza are to be additionally imported. 0.4 million packs will be available in February, 0.6 million packs in March and 1 million packs in April.

GSK originally prepared for this flu season with 3 million packs of Relenza. This quantity is equivalent to meeting the requirement for half the prescriptions of anti-influenza virus drugs in an average year. However, due to reports that most of the prevailing A/H1N1 influenza virus, which accounts for about half of the current epidemic, are resistant to another antiinfluenza virus drug this year, attention and demand for Relenza has increased dramatically.

GSK believes that currently, there is enough Relenza in distribution in the market, but in order to prevent stock accumulation, GSK is controlling its shipment.

The additional importation of Relenza will enable GSK to maintain a stable supply. Although it is not possible to predict the size and duration of this season's flu epidemic, GSK will continue with our efforts to provide Relenza to all the patients who need it and promote its appropriate use.

Do more, feel better, live longer

GlaxoSmithKline is one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies. GlaxoSmithKline is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.


Naomi Yoshida or Yoshiaki Komatsu
Tel: 03-5786-5041/5030
http://glaxosmithkline.co.jp

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