BCII BCII Enterprises Inc (PK)

Medicare Part D Coverage to Include D-Hormones MIDDLETON, Wis., May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bone Care International, Inc. (NASDAQ:BCII) announces that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage to D hormone therapies (located on the CMS website at: http://questions.cms.hhs.gov/). Hectorol(R) (doxercalciferol) Capsules is a D hormone therapy and will be covered in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program. The Part D drug program is planned to be effective January 2006. Hectorol(R) Capsules is indicated to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with Stages 3-5 chronic kidney disease (CKD). Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide public health problem. In the United States, there is a rising incidence and prevalence of kidney failure resulting in poor outcomes and high cost. There is an even higher prevalence of earlier stage CKD. According to the National Kidney Foundation, more than 20 million Americans -- one in nine adults -- have CKD and an additional 20 million are at risk, creating what the National Institutes of Health describes as a "growing epidemic." Bone Care International (http://www.bonecare.com/) is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic products to treat the unmet medical needs of patients with debilitating conditions and life-threatening diseases. Our current commercial and therapeutic focus is in nephrology, utilizing Hectorol(R) (doxercalciferol), our novel D hormone therapy, to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. In addition to chronic kidney disease, the Company is developing D hormone therapies to treat hyperproliferative disorders such as cancer and psoriasis. Contact: Bone Care International, Inc. Brian J. Hayden, Chief Financial Officer (608) 662-7800 This press release contains forward-looking statements. Statements relating to future sales, costs of sales, other expenses, profitability, financial resources, or products and production schedules, or statements that predict or indicate future events and trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and are based on management's beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to management. Accordingly, the Company's actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that exist in the Company's operations and business environment, including, among other factors, the ability of the Company and each of its suppliers of doxercalciferol, Hectorol(R) Injection and Hectorol(R) Capsules to meet the Company's anticipated production schedules, technical risks associated with the development of new products, regulatory policies in the United States and other countries, risks associated with our ability to avoid or minimize delays in/or interruption of the manufacture and supply of our products, including the approvals of regulatory authorities in connection therewith, reimbursement policies of public and private health care payors, introduction and acceptance of new drug therapies, competition from existing products and from new products or technologies, the failure by the Company to produce anticipated cost savings or improve productivity, the timing and magnitude of capital expenditures and acquisitions, currency exchange risks, economic and market conditions in the United States, Europe and the rest of the world, and other risks associated with the Company's operations. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future events or developments. DATASOURCE: Bone Care International, Inc. CONTACT: Brian J. Hayden, Chief Financial Officer, Bone Care International, Inc., +1-608-662-7800 Web site: http://www.bonecare.com/ http://questions.cms.hhs.gov/

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