REMICADE (Infliximab) Milestone With More Than 400,000 Patients Treated Worldwide

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Centocor, Inc. (JNJ) Announces REMICADE (Infliximab) Milestone With More

Than 400,000 Patients Treated Worldwide

MALVERN, Pa., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Centocor Inc., announced

today that since first receiving FDA approval for REMICADE® (infliximab)

nearly five years ago, over 400,000 patients worldwide have been treated --

more than any other tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) biologic

therapy(1). REMICADE is the global market share leader among TNF-alpha

therapies and is the only biologic drug indicated for the treatment of both

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease (CD).

" This milestone is important not only because it demonstrates the increasing

role of biologic therapies, but also because it further supports the

direction of our clinical research and development program, " said Jerome A.

Boscia, M.D., Vice-President, Clinical Research and Development, Centocor.

" Current efforts are focused on exploring common immune pathways and

developing therapies that may be effective across a number of disorders.

This focus grew from our experience with REMICADE in successfully treating

multiple immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. "

REMICADE is unique among available anti-TNF biologic therapies. Unlike

self-administered therapies that may require patients to inject themselves

weekly or bi-weekly, REMICADE is the only anti-TNF biologic administered as

an in-office treatment. RA and CD patients receive REMICADE every eight

weeks, following a standard induction regimen, which requires treatment at

weeks 0, 2 and 6. As a result, REMICADE patients may require as few as six

treatments each year.

REMICADE is a monoclonal antibody that specifically targets and irreversibly

binds to TNF-alpha on the cell membrane and in the blood. Overproduction of

TNF-alpha is believed to play a role in Crohn's disease and rheumatoid

arthritis, in addition to a wide range of Immune-Mediated Inflammatory

Disorders (I.M.I.D.) in which REMICADE is currently being studied, including

psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

About REMICADE

REMICADE, in combination with methotrexate, is indicated for reducing signs

and symptoms, inhibiting the progression of structural damage, and improving

physical function in patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid

arthritis who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate.

REMICADE is indicated for reducing signs and symptoms and inducing and

maintaining clinical remission in patients with moderately to severely

active Crohn's disease who have had an inadequate response to conventional

therapy. It is also indicated for reducing the number of draining

enterocutaneous and rectovaginal fistulas and maintaining fistula closure in

patients with fistulizing Crohn's disease.

Important Information

Many people with heart failure should not take REMICADE; so, prior to

treatment, patients should discuss any heart condition with their doctor.

Patients should tell their doctor right away if they develop new or

worsening symptoms of heart failure (such as shortness of breath or swelling

of their feet).

There are reports of serious infections, including tuberculosis (TB) and

sepsis. Some of these infections have been fatal. Patients should tell their

doctor if they have had recent or past exposure to people with TB. Their

doctor will evaluate them for TB and perform a skin test. If a patient has

latent (inactive) TB, his or her doctor should begin TB treatment before

starting REMICADE. If a patient is prone to or has a history of infections,

currently has one, or develops one while taking REMICADE, he or she should

tell his or her doctor right away. Patients should also tell their doctor if

they have lived in a region where histoplasmosis or coccidioidomycosis is

common, or if they have or have had a disease that affects the nervous

system, or if they experience any numbness, tingling, or visual

disturbances.

There are also reports of serious infusion reactions with hives, difficulty

breathing, and low blood pressure. In clinical studies, some people

experienced the following common side effects: upper respiratory infections,

headache, nausea, cough, sinusitis or mild reactions to the infusion such as

rash or itchy skin. Please read important information about REMICADE,

including full prescribing information, at www.remicade.com.

About Centocor

Centocor is a leading biopharmaceutical company that creates, acquires and

markets cost-effective therapies that yield long-term benefits for patients

and the healthcare community. The company is dedicated to the research and

development of treatments for a wide range of Immune-Mediated Inflammatory

Disorders (I.M.I.D.), such as arthritis, inflammatory skin diseases and

cancer. Centocor's products, developed primarily through monoclonal antibody

technology, help physicians deliver innovative treatments to improve human

health and restore patients' quality of life. Centocor is a wholly owned

subsidiary of & , the worldwide manufacturer of healthcare

products.

Centocor has exclusive marketing rights to REMICADE in the United States.

Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) has rights to market REMICADE in all

other countries throughout the world, except in Japan and parts of the Far

East where Tanabe Seiyaku, Ltd. will market the product.

Contact:

Craig Buchholz

Director of Franchise Communications

Phone: 610-651-6875

Mobile: 215-206-9062

(1) Data on file, Centocor.

SOURCE Centocor Inc.

-0- 04/22/2003

/CONTACT: Craig Buchholz, Director of Franchise Communications of Centocor

Inc., +1-610-651-6875, or mobile, +1-215-206-9062/

/Web site: http://www.remicade.com /