07 per share
compared to losses of $8,042,000 or $0. The decrease in loss of $4,987,000 or 62% is primarily
due to 1) lower costs associated with non-cash financing charges
decreased approximately $2,762,000 related to the issuance of
convertible debentures 2) lower non-cash stock compensation expenses
of $1,769,000 and 3) production/cost of goods sold was lower by
$503,000 primarily due to reduced expenditures in the first quarter of
2005 associated with the ramping up of the New Brunswick facility for
further production of Alferon N Injection(R). and China (Hong Kong) to test its ability to
reactivate latent antiviral/immunomodulatory genes. Alferon is approved for a category of STD infection, and
Ampligen and Oragens represent experimental nucleic acids being
developed for globally important chronic viral diseases and disorders
of the immune system including HPV, HIV, CFS, Hepatitis and SARS.hemispherx . Local Program Offers Health Industry a Best-Practice Example for Improving
Care Quality and Affordability

EAGAN, Minn.
"These programs are based on a premise that is often lost in traditional
approaches to chronic care -- if we provide consumers with the information
needed to support the care decisions they make with their physicians, patients
with chronic illnesses can improve their quality of life and ultimately have
greater affordability," said Allan Korn, M.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota's programs make information
sharing between consumers and physicians a top priority. BlueWorks programs are evaluated for importance to
the healthcare system, potential applicability in other communities and level
of innovation.com

The information in this press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995.

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"The program works by helping people live their healthiest, so they avoid
unnecessary trips to the emergency room and hospital, with an enhanced quality
of life.D.

About Orphan Medical, Inc.

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Business Editors/Medical Editors

PHILADELPHIA----Hemispherx Biopharma,
Inc. According to a
recent study by the RAND Corporation conducted on behalf of the Blue Cross and
Blue Shield Association, more than 60 percent of Americans sought out
healthcare information for themselves or a family member in the past year.

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This NDA will include data accumulated from 40,000
administrations of Ampligen to approximately 700 chronic fatigue
patients. Support for
members with depression was just added in February. The
disease is characterized by widespread muscle pain and stiffness and
affects women three times more often than men. Xyrem
has now been assessed as a treatment for the full range of narcolepsy
symptoms including excessive daytime sleepiness. Orphan Medical's Internet Web site address is
www. All forward-looking statements are qualified
by, and should be considered in conjunction with, such cautionary
statements.

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For instance, the strategies
and operations of Hemispherx involve risk of competition, changing
market conditions, change in laws and regulations affecting these
industries and numerous other factors discussed in this release and in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission . "These
are good examples of how better knowledge leads to better more affordable care
for consumers and their families.

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com/blueworks .

Orphan Medical Issues Xyrem Prescriptions Update

This represents an 8 percent
sequential increase from the six-week period ended December 31, 2004,
and a 104 percent increase over the 2,349 prescriptions filled during
the six-week prior-year period ended February 15, 2004.
Narcolepsy afflicts 100,000 to 140,000 Americans of which an estimated
50,000 receive some form of treatment for their symptoms.

About Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is estimated to affect as
many as four million individuals in the United States and represents a
market opportunity in excess of $1 billion dollars per year.

Orphan Medical acquires , develops and markets pharmaceuticals of
high medical value for inadequately treated and uncommon central
nervous system (CNS) diseases treated by specialist physicians.

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S. Offered in partnership with disease management leader
American Healthways, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota's program is the
nation's most extensive, now supporting nearly 200,000 members with any one of
42 conditions including asthma, diabetes, heart disease, low back pain,
fibromyalgia, nine forms of cancer, and several dozen others. Bill Gold, chief medical officer and vice president, health
management at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, citing first-year and
18-month clinical and financial results ."
Programs developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies and recognized
by Harvard Medical School's Department of Healthcare Policy are part of
BCBSA's BlueWorks program. The
sNDA is expected to expand the Xyrem label to encompass the other
primary symptoms of narcolepsy, specifically the reduction of EDS and
the improvement in fragmented nighttime sleep, in addition to the
established efficacy of Xyrem in treating cataplexy. (These
documents can be accessed through the Orphan Medical Web site at
http://www.

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Hemispherx Biopharma First Quarter 2005 Earnings Announced; Net Loss Decreases by 62% in Current Quarter

Hemispherx has in excess of 150 patents comprising its
core intellectual property estate, a fully commercialized product
(Alferon N) and GMP certified manufacturing facilities for its novel
pharma product.bluecrossmn. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking
statements by terminology such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends,"
"may," "should," "plans," "believes, " "seeks," "estimates," "could,"
"would" or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology .

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(AMEX: HEB) announced a loss (including non-cash losses) for the
three months ended March 31, 2005 of $3,055,000 or $0. And by helping people live healthier, the program saves more than $2
in preventable claims costs overall for every dollar invested in the program,"
said Dr. Orphan
Medical submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Xyrem
to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 18, 2005.

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Hemispherx's flagship products include
Alferon and the experimental immunotherapeutics /antivirals Ampligen
and Oragens. While the programs take distinctly different approaches,
all are focused on reaching the same goal -- innovative, consumer-focused
solutions that help support quality care decisions between patients and their
doctors.

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About Hemispherx

Hemispherx Biopharma, based in Philadelphia, is a
biopharmaceutical company engaged in the manufacture and clinical
development of new drug entities for treatment of viral and
immune-based chronic disorders. Any
specifically referenced investigational drugs and associated
technologies of the company (including Ampligen(R) and Oragens(TM))
are experimental in nature and as such are not designated safe and
effective by a regulatory authority for general use and are legally
available only through clinical trials with the referenced disorders."
Nationally, the treatment of chronic disease in the U. All patients with narcolepsy suffer from EDS and an
estimated 60 to 90 percent suffer from cataplexy.

severely sufferer

The Company also reports that the consolidation of the quality
assurance laboratory in Rockville, Maryland into the New Brunswick,
New Jersey facility has been completed and the Company is in the
process of establishing manufacturing operations for Ampligen(R) raw
materials in New Jersey.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and two other Blue plans received
the recognition as part of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's
BlueWorks program.

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Patients also continue to be actively recruited for the Phase IIb
study for the experimental treatment of HIV patients to overcome
multi-drug resistance, virus mutation and toxicity associated with
current antiviral ("HAART") therapies. The conditions covered by
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota afflict nearly 20 percent of the
population , and those persons account for roughly 80 percent of health care
claims dollars.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

MINNEAPOLIS----Orphan Medical, Inc.

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The Company disclaims, however , any intent
or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
To improve quality care for those with chronic conditions, Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of Minnesota developed the BluePrint for Health(R) care support
program in 2001.

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Hemispherx's platform technology includes large and small agent
components for potential treatment of various chronic viral
infections. Clinical
trials for other potential indications of the approved biologic
Alferon(R) do not imply that the product will ever be specifically
approved commercially for these other treatment indications., senior vice president and chief
medical officer for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).
RAND found that searchers with serious chronic conditions twice as likely to
search for information as searchers with minor chronic of acute illnesses., Harvard Medical
School's Department of Healthcare Policy Chair. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee
of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago.

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Sixty-five percent of those who searched for information discussed the
information with their physicians.BCBS.

Other symptoms include
persistent fatigue, headaches, cognitive or memory impairment, morning
stiffness and non-restorative sleep.

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A not-for-profit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest
health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2. Cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle
tone, is usually triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, anger
or surprise.

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Harvard Researchers Recognize Blue Cross for Helping Chronically Ill Doctors Make Better Care Decisions

, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Minnesota was recently recognized by Harvard Medical School's Department of
Healthcare Policy for its nation -leading program to improve the quality of
care delivered to chronic illness patients.6 million members in Minnesota and
nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated
companies .
(Nasdaq:ORPH) announced that the total number of Xyrem(R) (sodium
oxybate) oral solution prescriptions filled in the six-week period
ended February 15, 2005, was 4,790.
Such forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations
and beliefs and involve numerous risks and uncertainties, both known
and unknown, that could cause actual events or results to differ
materially from these forward -looking statements.com).

longtime sufferer

net

Information contained in this news release other than historical
information, should be considered forward-looking and is subject to
various risk factors and uncertainties . Programs such as these are truly
role models for the industry. For more information on BlueWorks , visit
http://www.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is made up of 40 independent ,
locally owned and operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that
collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 92 million people, or
one-third of all Americans.orphan.orphan.

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A treatment protocol continues to enroll patients with
chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). According to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of Americans with
chronic illnesses will increase from 90 million to 157 million people by 2020. Visit
us online at http://www.

About Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a chronic, debilitating neurological disease whose
primary symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), fragmented
nighttime sleep and cataplexy. A number of factors
could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's
assumptions and expectations.

chronic ager

For more information please visit www.

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The forward-looking statements represent the Company's judgment as of
the date of this release. "But the added benefit is
better quality care is more affordable care.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul
suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota's first health plan and
continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more
economical and timely availability of health services for the people of
Minnesota.com .

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D. Patients often
selectively isolate themselves from social interaction with others
resulting in a worsening effect on a patient's quality of life.

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20 per share for the same
period in 2004.bcbs. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue
Shield Association and it Plans, please visit http://www. The Company's trial evaluating
Xyrem as a treatment for symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome is fully
enrolled with data expected to be available in mid-2005. The Company is also
conducting a trial to evaluate Xyrem as a treatment for symptoms of
fibromyalgia syndrome .

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In the first quarter 2005, the Company increased clinical staff by
employing additional medical doctors and other highly trained
individuals to focus on the preparation of the Ampligen New Drug
Application (NDA) for submission to the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA).
New experimental programs with Alferon LDO are also being launched
in both the U.S. is one of the
country's most compelling and difficult health challenges.
"It is clear that knowledge-based programs that ensure patients and
physicians have the information they need are highly successful in improving
care quality for the patient, said Barbara McNeil, M.com . These are set forth in the cautionary
statements included in Orphan Medical's most recent Form 10-Q or Form
10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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