ACTELION : to Present at the 28th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd / Actelion to Present at the 28th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference processed and transmitted by Hugin AS. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 


  * Chief Executive Officer Jean-Paul Clozel to increase previous fiscal year
    2009 guidance - total net revenues and Cash EBIT growth to exceed 19 percent
    in local currencies
  * First patient enrolled inPhase III Morbidity / Mortality Study of novel PGI2
    receptor agonist for the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial
    hypertension (PAH) at the end of 2009
  * Phase III BUILD-3 with bosentan in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to read out
    in Q1 2010

ALLSCHWIL/BASEL,   SWITZERLAND  -  11 January  2010 -Actelion  Ltd  (SIX:  ATLN)
announced  today  that  Jean-Paul  Clozel,  M.D.,  Chief  Executive  Officer  of
Actelion,  will present  at the  upcoming J.P.  Morgan Healthcare  Conference on
Monday,  January 11, 2010 at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time  / 6:30 p.m. Eastern time at
the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, CA.
Actelion  will provide  an overview  of the  Company's products  and development
programs  during its presentation. The Company will also report that at year-end
2009, the  first patient has been enrolled  in the Phase III morbidity-mortality
study  of its first-in-class, orally active non-prostanoid PGI2 receptor agonist
in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This has triggered a milestone payment
to  its  partner  Nippon  Shinyaku,  which  will  be  accounted for in the 2009
financial statement as a research and development expense.
During  the presentation, Dr. Clozel will increase fiscal year 2009 guidance for
both  total  net  revenues  and  Cash  Earnings  Before Tax and Interest (EBIT),
announcing  that 2009 growth exceeded the  previous guidance of 19 percent local
currency  growth. This  strong performance  in 2009 is  the result  of all three
products  - Tracleer,  Ventavis and  Zavesca -  exceeding expectations.  US GAAP
operating  and net profit for 2009 are  adversely affected by the USD 91 million
arbitration award payable by its subsidiary CoTherix, Inc. to Asahi Kasei Pharma
Corporation.
The  company will  also reiterate  its positive  outlook for 2010, with top-line
growth expected in the low-double digit range, as commercial leverage will allow
for both continued strong cash operating margins and above average investment in
innovative growth opportunities.
Jean-Paul  Clozel commented: "We expect that Actelion products will perform very
well  in the  marketplace again  in 2010 and  are  looking  forward to important
clinical  data announcements from  several of our  programs, including data from
the  bosentan Phase III trial in  idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which we expect
in the coming weeks."
To  access the live and subsequently archived webcast of the presentation, visit
"Events"   in   the   Investor   Relations   section   of  Actelion's  Web  site
atwww.actelion.com  <http://www.actelion.com/>.   An  archived  replay  will  be
available for 3 months beginning 24 hours after the live presentation.

###
Notes to the Editor:
About Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)
Pulmonary  arterial hypertension  (PAH) is  a chronic, life-threatening disorder
characterized  by abnormally  high blood  pressure in  the arteries  between the
heart  and lungs of an affected individual.  The function of the heart and lungs
is  severely  compromised,  manifested  by  a  limited  exercise  capacity, and,
ultimately,  a reduced  life expectancy.  Approximately 100,000 people in Europe
and  the United States are  afflicted with either primary  or secondary forms of
the  disease related  to conditions  or tissue  disorders that affect the lungs,
such as scleroderma, lupus, HIV/AIDS or congenital heart disease.
PAH  is associated with structural changes in both the pulmonary vasculature and
the  right ventricle. Recent advances [1] in the understanding of the pathogenic
factors leading to the pulmonary vascular disease have led to the development of
new  therapies  targeting  specific  pathways  (the  prostacyclin  pathway;  the
endothelin  pathway; and the nitric oxide  pathway) [2]. The available therapies
have  positive effects  in PAH,  but they  do not  provide a  cure, and  in many
patients  the  disease  will  progress.  PAH  remains a serious life-threatening
condition  [2,3]. Early  recognition and  an understanding  of the selection and
timing of therapeutic options remain critical elements in the optimal management
of patients with this disorder.
Prostacyclin
Endothelial  cells  produce  several  vasoactive  chemical  factors,  among them
prostacyclin  (PGI2), which induce  vasodilatation of blood  vessels and inhibit
smooth   muscle   cell  proliferation  and  platelet  aggregation.  The  peptide
endothelin  is also produced by the endothelium,  and is a potent constrictor of
blood  vessels  and  promotes  cell  proliferation.  In  a normal healthy state,
prostacyclin helps counter-balance the actions of endothelin. In certain disease
conditions,  however, production of prostacyclin by the endothelium is impaired,
allowing   the   deleterious  effects  of  excessive  levels  of  endothelin  to
predominate.
Prostacyclin receptor
Prostacyclin binds the prostacyclin receptor located on the surface of platelets
and  vascular smooth muscle cells. The  receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor
that,  upon  activation  by  prostacyclin,  stimulates  the  formation of cyclic
adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Dysfunction of the prostacyclin system occurs in
several  cardiovascular disorders, including  thrombosis, myocardial infarction,
stroke, myocardial ischemia, atherosclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension
(PAH).  Restoration of  prostacyclin function  using prostacyclin analogues that
activate  IP receptors  improves prognosis  for patients  with PAH. Prostacyclin
counteracts  the  vasoconstrictor  and  pro-thrombotic  activity  of endothelin.
Actelion  is developing an orally  available and long-acting non-prostanoid PGI2
receptor  agonist that  mimics the  actions of  endogenous prostacyclin  for the
treatment of PAH.
About Actelion's orally active non-prostanoid PGI2 receptor agonist
ACT-293987,  originally  discovered  and  synthesized  by  Nippon Shinyaku, is a
long-lasting orally-available drug that is converted to the active metabolite, a
potent  non-prostanoid PGI2 receptor agonist  which exerts vasodilating effects.
ACT-293987  has  major  potential  as  a  novel  treatment of pulmonary arterial
hypertension.
Positive  data have  been obtained  in a  Phase IIa, placebo-controlled study to
assess  efficacy,  safety  and  tolerability  of  this  compound  in 43 patients
suffering   from   PAH  and  already  receiving  standard  care  with  oral  PAH
medications.  The primary endpoint of pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) change
from  baseline  was  met  with  high  statistical  significance  (p < 0.01). The
compound was well tolerated.
Actelion has submitted several abstracts covering this study for presentation at
upcoming scientific congresses taking place throughout 2010.
References
 1. Farber   HW;   Loscalzo   J.   Mechanisms  of  disease:  pulmonary  arterial
    hypertension. N. Eng. J. Med. 2004; 351:1655-65.
 2. Humbert   M;   Sitbon  O;  Simonneau  G.  Treatment  of  pulmonary  arterial
    hypertension. N. Eng. J. Med. 2004;351:1425-36.
 3. Humbert M; Morrell NW; Archer SL; et al. Cellular and molecular pathobiology
    of  pulmonary arterial hypertension. J.  Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2004; 43: Suppl.
    12: 13S-24S.

About the Actelion / Nippon Shinyaku alliance
Actelion  and Nippon  Shinyaku entered  into an  exclusive worldwide alliance in
April  2008 to collaborate  on an  orally-available long-acting prostaglandin I2
(PGI2)   receptor   agonist  for  patients  suffering  from  pulmonary  arterial
hypertension  (PAH). This compound was  originally discovered and synthesized by
Nippon  Shinyaku.   Actelion  will  be  responsible  for  global development and
commercialization  of the  PGI2 receptor  agonist outside  Japan, while  the two
companies will co-develop and co-commercialize in Japan.
Actelion Ltd
Actelion  Ltd is a biopharmaceutical company  with its corporate headquarters in
Allschwil/Basel,   Switzerland.  Actelion's  first  drug  Tracleer®,  an  orally
available  dual endothelin receptor  antagonist, has been  approved as a therapy
for  pulmonary arterial hypertension. Actelion markets Tracleer® through its own
subsidiaries  in key  markets worldwide,  including the  United States (based in
South   San  Francisco),  the  European  Union,  Japan,  Canada,  Australia  and
Switzerland.  Actelion, founded in late 1997, is  a leading player in innovative
science  related to the endothelium - the single layer of cells separating every
blood  vessel from the  blood stream. Actelion's  over 2, 200 employees focus on
the  discovery, development  and marketing  of innovative  drugs for significant
unmet  medical  needs.  Actelion  shares  are  traded  on the SIX Swiss Exchange
(ticker symbol: ATLN).

For further information please contact:
Roland Haefeli
Vice President, Head of Investor Relations & Public Affairs
Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Gewerbestrasse 16, CH-4123 Allschwil
[phone]
[phone]
http://www.actelion.com< http://www.actelion.com/>




[HUG#1372270]



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Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Gewerbestrasse 16 Allschwil Switzerland

WKN: 936767;ISIN: CH0010532478;

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