Research Update

Phytopharm PLC
12 March 2003



                                                                   12 March 2003

                                Phytopharm plc

         Update on development programme for Appetite Suppressant P57

Phytopharm plc (PYM: London Stock Exchange) ('Phytopharm') announces today that
it has received the first six monthly progress report from Pfizer Inc ('Pfizer')
concerning the ongoing development of its appetite suppressant P57. This follows
the announcement in July 2002 that Pfizer was taking responsibility for the
development of the product, under the terms of the Licence and Royalty agreement
entered between Pfizer and Phytopharm in August 1998.  P57 is a novel appetite
suppressant that has been shown to reduce caloric intake in overweight subjects,
as announced by Phytopharm in December 2001.

The first six monthly report from Pfizer summarises the steps they have taken to
continue the development of P57. A committee within Pfizer has been formed to
oversee the project, and work has commenced in preparation for a double blind,
placebo-controlled residential study to clinically validate the appetite
suppression mechanism and to assess the safety of a simplified low dose
botanical mixture.

Dr Richard Dixey, Chief Executive of Phytopharm, said:  'The P57 project
continues to make satisfactory progress in the capable hands of the Pfizer team.
We look forward to further updates in due course.'


                                        -ENDS-

Enquiries:
Phytopharm plc
Dr Richard Dixey, Chief Executive               Tel:         [phone]
                                                Mobile:      [phone]



Financial Dynamics
David Yates / Ben Atwell                        Tel:         [phone]




NOTES TO EDITORS

Phytopharm plc

Phytopharm is the leading company in the development of Botanical
pharmaceuticals. Botanicals enable the rapid clinical evaluation of plant
medicines in chronic and poorly understood diseases. Where novel modes of action
are discovered, such research can form the basis for drug discovery platforms,
which enable the development of new medicines and the isolation of single
chemical entities of clinical importance. Phytopharm has four drug discovery
platforms in full development, for metabolic syndrome, neurodegeneration,
inflammation and dermatitis.

P57 is a novel appetite suppressant containing extracts derived from a South
African plant. Under an agreement announced on August 24th 1998, Pfizer has
acquired an exclusive worldwide licence to develop and market P57.  Phytopharm
will receive up to $32 million in licence fees and milestone payments based upon
the achievement of specific objectives. Phytopharm will also receive royalties
on sales of P57 by Pfizer.

Phytopharm is developing ten products based on its four drug discovery platforms
of which five are in the clinic and five are in pre-clinical development. There
are also a number of other projects in early evaluation phase.



More information concerning Phytopharm's activities can be found on its Web site
                        at http://www.phytopharm.co.uk.




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange