Questcor Announces the Addition of Steve Cartt as Executive Vice Presi

    Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

    UNION CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 15, 2005--Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX:QSC), a specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that Steve Cartt has joined the company as Executive Vice President of Commercial Development.
    "We are excited to have someone of Steve's experience and abilities join the Questcor team. Steve's extensive specialty pharmaceutical background, business-building experience and management skills are an ideal fit for Questcor," explained Jim Fares, Questcor's President and CEO.
    Mr. Cartt has nearly 20 years of experience in the specialty pharmaceutical and drug delivery industries. Since 2003, Mr. Cartt has worked with a variety of specialty pharmaceutical and venture capital firms to identify and pursue licensing and development opportunities, as well as to assess start-up company concepts. Previously, Mr. Cartt was the Senior Director of Strategic Marketing for Elan Pharmaceuticals, where he led a team responsible for developing and optimizing Elan's Central Nervous System (CNS) product portfolio. These responsibilities included extensive pre-launch market planning for new product introductions, development of innovative life cycle management strategies, creation of commercially attractive new product concepts, and identification and evaluation of partnering opportunities. Before joining Elan in early 2000, Mr. Cartt worked for ALZA Corporation for 14 years, holding a variety of marketing and sales positions of increasing responsibility. Mr. Cartt received his bachelor's degree from the University of California at Davis in biochemistry, and holds an MBA from Santa Clara University.
    Mr. Cartt will be responsible for Questcor's licensing and partnering activities, as well as portfolio strategy and commercial strategy development.

    About Questcor

    Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(R) (AMEX:QSC) is a specialty pharmaceutical company that acquires, markets and sells brand name prescription drugs for neurological and gastrointestinal use through a U.S. direct sales force and international distributors. Questcor currently markets four products in the U.S.: H.P. Acthar(R) Gel (repository corticotropin injection), an injectable drug that is commonly used for certain neurological conditions; Nascobal(R), the only prescription nasal gel formulation of Cyanocobalamin USP (Vitamin B12), that is approved for patients with B12 deficiency caused by malabsorptive disorders resulting from structural or functional damage, such as bariatric surgery, Crohn's disease and certain neurological conditions; Ethamolin(R) (Ethanolamine Oleate), an injectable drug used to treat enlarged weakened blood vessels at the entrance to the stomach that have recently bled, known as esophageal varices; and Glofil-125(R), which is an injectable agent that assesses how well the kidney is working by measuring glomerular filtration rate, or kidney function.

    Note: Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements are subject to certain factors, which may cause Questcor's results to differ from those reported herein. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to, Questcor's ability to accurately forecast and create the demand for each of its products, the gross margins achieved from the sale of those products, Questcor's ability to enforce its exchange policy, the accuracy of the prescription data purchased from independent third parties by Questcor, the sell through by Questcor's distributors, the inventories carried by Questcor's distributors, and the expenses and other cash needs for the upcoming periods, Questcor's ability to obtain finished goods from its sole source contract manufacturers on a timely basis if at all, Questcor's need for additional funding, uncertainties regarding Questcor's intellectual property and other research, development, marketing and regulatory risks, and, to the ability of Questcor to implement its strategy and acquire products and, if acquired, to market them successfully as well as the risks discussed in Questcor's report on Form 10-K for the calendar year ended December 31, 2003 and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The risk factors and other information contained in these documents should be considered in evaluating Questcor's prospects and future financial performance.

    Questcor undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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CONTACT: Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. James L. Fares, 510-400-0700

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PHARMACEUTICAL MANAGEMENT CHANGES SOURCE: Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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