NOVEN COMMENTS ON NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE HRT STUDY

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Miami, FL, July 17, 2002 – Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: NOVN), a leading developer of transdermal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, today commented on the reported results of an observational study recently presented by researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

"The main finding of the NCI study was that postmenopausal women who used estrogen replacement therapy for 10 or more years had a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer than women who never used hormone replacement therapy," said Robert C. Strauss, Noven's President, CEO & Chairman. "Most women begin HRT to treat disruptive menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances, and in most cases they terminate therapy when symptoms subside. As a result, the average use of our Vivelle-Dot^® and CombiPatch^® products, like most HRT products, is well under one year."

Vivelle-Dot is a transdermal delivery system containing estradiol, which is identical to the estrogen produced naturally by a woman's ovaries. CombiPatch is a transdermal system containing the same estradiol as in Vivelle-Dot, and the progestin norethindrone acetate (NETA). CombiPatch is the only combination HRT patch approved in the U.S. Both patches are indicated for the treatment of the symptoms of menopause, and deliver drug through the skin and into the bloodstream, avoiding first-pass liver metabolism.

Strauss continued: "We remain hopeful that the recent studies, which primarily have examined the risks of oral HRT therapy, will lead to increased interest in the benefits of transdermal HRT products. As always, we strongly encourage women to consult with their physicians about the treatment options available to them. HRT is the only therapy proven to relieve the symptoms of menopause, and our HRT patches, when used as indicated, remain safe and effective therapies for these symptoms."

About Noven
Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in Miami, Florida, is a leading developer of advanced transdermal drug delivery technologies and prescription transdermal products. Together with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Noven owns a highly profitable women's health products company called Novogyne Pharmaceuticals. Noven's existing products include advanced estrogen transdermal delivery systems (including Vivelle-Dot^®, licensed to Novogyne, and Estradot^®, licensed to Novartis Pharma AG) and combination estrogen/progestin transdermal delivery systems (including CombiPatch^®, licensed to Novogyne, and Estalis^®, licensed to Novartis Pharma AG). With a range of additional products in development, including MethyPatch^®, Noven is committed to becoming the world's premier developer, manufacturer and marketer of transdermal drug delivery systems. For additional information, visit Noven's website at www.noven.com.

This release contains forward-looking statements related to the business of Noven that can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "hopeful", "will" and similar words and phrases. Such statements are qualified by and subject to the risks and uncertainties specified in Noven's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in this press release, including the risk that physicians and patients will extrapolate the study results to transdermal HRT products and that prescription growth of Noven's products, as well as Noven's financial results, will be adversely affected.

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Copyright ©  2002 Noven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All rights reserved.