Further strengthening its position in the OTC market, Lavipharm Group relaunched Algon, the highly credible analgesic. Introduced by the Group's OTC Division, Algon, in its new packaging, contains the same active ingredients that ensure effectiveness and superiority. With Algon, Lavipharm Group aims to significantly increase its market share in the current pharmaceutical retail market. Algon combines unsurpassed efficacy with safety. It is recommended for the temporary relief of headaches, fever, arthralgy, toothaches, neuralgia, muscular aches and dysmenorrhea. Algon is a combination of two analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory substances. It also contains caffeine that facilitates and speeds up the absorption of the other two active ingredients in the gastrointestinal tract and at the same time triggers stimulants that improve the psychological and muscular state of the patient. ?Algon represents for us an important investment in the rapidly growing OTC market and marks a new era in the analgesics sector?, stated the Chairman and CEO of Lavipharm Group, Dr. Athanase Lavidas. ?Committed to our vision for the improvement of the quality of human life, we continue to provide pioneering services and innovative products?. Having as its main objective the health needs of modern consumers, Lavipharm Group created the OTC Division in 2000. This strategic move reaffirms the Group's predictions regarding the high growth potential of the Greek OTC market. In the highly competitive OTC market that counts for 10% of the pharmaceutical consumption in Greece, the OTC Division's turnover in 2001 increased by 16% compared to 2000, while the expectation for 2002 is a 59% increase in compared to 2001. With Algon, Lavipharm Group strengthens its OTC products portfolio, which includes its own Research and Development products such as the anti-lice line Ivaliten, as well as products of well-known international companies. The successful Additiva vitamin line, the Butler Gum oral care products, the Breathe Right nasal strip, the Exorex medicine for the treatment of psoriasis and the bandaging material of the multinational 3M, are some of the international OTC products that Lavipharm represents. Algon is sold exclusively in pharmacies in a cartoon box containing 2 blisters of 8 tablets each. Lavipharm is the largest integrated Group of companies in the development, production, import, promotion and distribution of pharmaceutical and dermocosmetic products in Greece with a strong international activity. In 2001 Lavipharm ‘s turnover reached ? 290.6 million.