LONDON, April 7 /PRNewswire/ --

Hospira, Inc. (NYSE: HSP), the world leader in generic injectable pharmaceuticals, today announced it has received marketing authorisation for piperacillin/tazobactam for injection, and has launched the product in the United Kingdom. The medication is a generic version of Wyeth's Tazocin(R), the world's leading injectable antibiotic, with 2008 European sales of approximately 250 million euros.(1)

Piperacillin/tazobactam is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat patients with moderate to severe infections. It is an injectable combination product that consists of piperacillin (an extended-spectrum penicillin) and tazobactam (a beta-lactamase inhibitor).

The launch of Hospira's piperacillin/tazobactam will contribute to significant price declines across the European Union brought about by the availability of generic versions of Tazocin, said Michael Kotsanis, president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Hospira. This furthers our goal of taking costs out of the healthcare system by providing high-quality, lower-cost alternatives to proprietary medications.

Hospira will offer piperacillin/tazobactam as a powder for solution for injection or infusion in 2.25 g and 4.5 g single-dose vials.

Hospira expects to launch piperacillin/tazobactam in other European markets in the coming months.

Hospira offers the broadest generic injectable product portfolio in the world, with more than 190 generic injectable products available in a variety of different delivery formats. Product areas include cardiovascular, anaesthesia, anti-infectives, oncology, analgesics, emergency and other therapeutic segments. A host of proprietary non-biologic drugs are facing patent expiration globally over the coming years, and many of these compounds are in Hospira's robust product pipeline.

About Hospira

Hospira is a global specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company dedicated to Advancing Wellness(TM). As the world leader in specialty generic injectable pharmaceuticals, Hospira offers one of the broadest portfolios of generic acute-care and oncology injectables, as well as integrated infusion therapy and medication management solutions. Through its products, Hospira helps improve the safety, cost and productivity of patient care. The company is headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, United States and has more than 14,000 employees. The head office for Hospira in Europe, Middle East and Africa is in Leamington Spa, UK. Learn more about Hospira in the UK at www.hospira.co.uk.

Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 -- A Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Hospira cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect Hospira's operations and may cause actual results to be materially different from expectations include the risks, uncertainties and factors discussed under the headings Risk Factors and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Hospira's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, and Hospira's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and incorporated by reference. Hospira undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as the result of subsequent events or developments.

(1) Hospira analysis of IMS Data

UK Media, Joseph Talanges, +44-(0)-1926-820-820, or US Media, Dan Rosenberg, +1-224-212-3366, or Financial Community, Karen King, +1-224-212-2711