MILAN, Italy, March 3, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Eurand N.V. (Nasdaq:EURX), a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops enhanced pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products based on its proprietary drug formulation technologies, announced today that Gearoid Faherty, Chief Executive Officer, has been recognized by the Boomer Esiason Foundation (BEF) as a "Quiet Giant" for his efforts supporting the U.S. cystic fibrosis (CF) community in 2007. Mr. Faherty will be honored at the 15th Annual Booming Celebration on Saturday March 8, 2008 at The Waldorf -Astoria Hotel, in New York City.

Gearoid Faherty, Chief Executive Officer of Eurand, commented, "It is an honor to be recognized by The Boomer Esiason Foundation - a foundation that is dedicated to improving the lives of patients with Cystic Fibrosis and committed to supporting the development of novel medicines to treat this disease."

Boomer Esiason, veteran NFL quarterback and founder of BEF, said, "One of our underlying goals at BEF is to ensure that doctors and caregivers have access to effective and innovative treatments that ease suffering and enhance the lives of those stricken with cystic fibrosis. It is therefore our pleasure to recognize silent leaders like Gearoid Faherty on behalf of Eurand, a company dedicated to providing new and improved treatment options, like Zentase, to enhance the lives of CF patients. Mr. Faherty has demonstrated a commitment to aid in our fight against cystic fibrosis and we are pleased to recognize him and Eurand for their efforts."

The Boomer Esiason Foundation is a partnership of leaders in the business and medical communities joining with a committed core of volunteers that provide financial support for research aimed at finding a cure for cystic fibrosis. BEF works to heighten education and awareness of cystic fibrosis and to ensure an improved quality of life for people affected by cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that affects over 30,000 adults and children in the United States and 100,000 patients worldwide, an estimated 90 percent of whom suffer from Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI). This disease is marked by chronic infections, clogged airways, and digestive and reproductive problems. Current therapies to treat CF target good nutrition and improved lung function which can lead to improved patient outcomes.

Eurand's lead product candidate, Zentase(tm) (EUR-1080), is a porcine-derived pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy which is being developed to treat EPI, a condition associated with cystic fibrosis, chronic pancreatitis and other diseases. The product was developed in response to the 2004 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on pancreatic enzyme products, which outlined the need to reduce the unpredictable character of currently marketed enzyme therapies. The product is a highly stable formulation that includes eight key enzymes and a number of coenzymes and cofactors and is biologically similar to the endogenous human pancreatic secretions necessary for proper human digestion. Eurand completed its New Drug Application (NDA) submission for Zentase in December 2007, which has been granted priority review status. The Company plans to market the product in the U.S. and out-license the product outside of the U.S.

About Eurand

Eurand is a specialty pharmaceutical company that develops enhanced pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products based on its proprietary drug formulation technologies. Eurand has had four partnered products approved by the FDA since 2001 and has a pipeline of product candidates in development for itself and its collaboration partners. Eurand has completed two phase III clinical trials on its lead product candidate, Zentase, intended for the treatment of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency and has submitted an NDA for this product. Eurand's technology platforms include bioavailability enhancement of poorly soluble drugs, customized release, taste-masking/fast-dissolving formulations and drug conjugation.

Eurand is a global company with facilities in the USA and Europe. For more information, visit Eurand's website at www.eurand.com.

This release, and oral statements made with respect to information contained in this release, constitutes forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include those which express plan, anticipation, intent, contingency, goals, targets or future development and/or otherwise are not statements of historical fact including, but not limited to our plans for our NDA filing, enrollment and future plans for our clinical trials, progress of and reports of results from clinical studies, clinical development plans and product development activities. The words "potentially", "could", "calls for" and similar expressions also identify forward-looking statements. These statements are based upon management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, known and unknown, which could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Factors that could affect actual results include risks associated with the possibility that the FDA refuses to approve our NDA; the outcome of any discussions with the FDA; and unexpected delays in preparation of materials for submission to the FDA as a part of our NDA filing. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Actual events could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements.