Dr. Steven Offenbacher Receives 2006 Norton M. Ross Award

DR. STEVEN OFFENBACHER RECEIVES 2006 NORTON M. ROSS AWARD

FOR EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL RESEARCH

WARMINSTER, PA – November 22, 2006 – OraPharma, Inc., manufacturer of ARESTIN^® (minocycline hydrochloride) Microspheres, 1 mg, is proud to announce that Dr. Steven Offenbacher, the OraPharma Distinguished Professor of Periodontal Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, has been named the recipient of the 2006 Norton M. Ross Award for Excellence in Clinical Research.

The Ross Award, sponsored by the American Dental Association through the ADA Foundation, is given in memory of Dr. Norton M. Ross, a dentist and pharmacologist who contributed significantly to oral medicine and dental clinical research.

“Dr. Offenbacher has made tremendous contributions to clinical research and is an international leader in showing the relationship between oral and systemic disease,” said Dr. John N. Williams, dean of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. “He is a pioneer in periodontal medicine, and his research is making and will continue to make a real difference in the day-to-day lives of people worldwide.”

According to Dr. Offenbacher, who is also director of the Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases, based in the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, “It is an honor for me to receive the award on behalf of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry and the many people within our Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases. I am proud to represent the dedicated, hard-working and talented research team that has made these scientific contributions that are being recognized by the American Dental Association.”

Dr. Offenbacher’s research focuses on several areas, including the relationship of periodontal disease to premature birth, heart disease, diabetes and atherosclerosis. Offenbacher is the principal investigator on a five-year, multi-site study focusing on whether or not tooth cleaning performed on expectant mothers decreases the rate of preterm deliveries at fewer than 37 weeks, and also what effect maternal tooth cleaning may have on the birth weight of infants born at fewer than 37 weeks gestation.

“We are extremely proud that Dr. Offenbacher, an OraPharma Distinguished Professor, has been recognized for his ongoing studies to examine the potential links between overall and oral health,” said John Lenart, Product Director, OraPharma. “His clinical research is a valuable asset to the dental and medical professions and the patients they serve.”

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