The Female Health Company Reports: 

 

FEMALE HEALTH RECEIVES 

2.5 MILLION UNIT ORDER FOR JAPAN

 

Company Initiates Shipment of 2.0 million Units to Brazil

 

CHICAGO (November 23, 1999) – The Female Health Company (OTC BB: FHCO) today announced it has received an order from Taiho Pharmaceutical for 2.5 million female condoms for distribution in Japan.

Female Health’s partner in Japan, Taiho Pharmaceutical, plans to launch the female condom as Myfemy during the first six months of 2000. This is significant news for Japanese women as barrier methods are the main method of contraception in Japan. Approximately 92 percent of couples seeking protection in Japan use male condoms and the majority of these condoms are purchased by women The market for male condoms in Japan is about 600 million units annually.

Female Health also announced it has initiated shipment of the 2 million unit order recently received from the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The market for male condoms is in excess of 200 million units.

"Today’s announcement is part of The Female Health Company’s on-going strategy to heighten global market penetration of the female condom," said Mary Ann Leeper, Ph.D., president of The Female Health Company. "The female condom continues to generate interest and acceptance by women all over the world as a viable contraceptive and an effective tool for disease prevention."

Taiho Pharmaceutical is a major pharmaceutical company with more than 600 sales representatives and distribution in 40,000 drug stores in Japan. It is dedicated to the research, development, and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical device products.

 

The Female Health Company, based in Chicago, Ill. owns certain worldwide rights to the female condom including patents which have been issued in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the People’s Republic of China, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea and Australia. The female condom is the only product controlled by women that helps to prevent STDs including HIV/AIDS and unintended pregnancy. The female condom is made of polyurethane, which is strong and unlikely to rip or tear during use or cause allergic reactions. It is manufactured in a state of the art facility in London, England.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Action of 1995: The statements in this release which are not historical fact are forward-looking statements based upon the Company’s current plans and strategies, and reflect the Company’s current assessment of the risks and uncertainties related to its business, including such things as product demand and market acceptance; the economic and business environment and the impact of governmental regulations, both in the United States and abroad; the effects of competitive products and pricing pressures; currency risks; capacity;

efficiency and supply constraints; and other risks detailed in the Company’s press releases, shareholder communication and Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Actual events affecting the Company and the impact of such events on the Company’s operations may vary from those currently anticipated.

For more information about The Female Health Company toll-free via fax,

dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and enter company code "FHCO."

Also, visit the Company's web site, www.femalehealth.com.

 

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Contacts: Investors Product Media

William R. Gargiulo, Jr.      Mary Ann Leeper,Ph.D.         Desta Davis

      231.526.1244                   312.280.1119                 312.397.6070

 

 

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