Opko Health, Inc. Announces Early Termination of Hart-Scott-Rodino Waiting Period for Proposed Purchase of Shares by Dr. Phillip Frost

MIAMI July 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Opko Health Inc. (Amex: OPK) today announced that that the U.S. Department of Justice has granted early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in connection with the potential acquisition of additional shares of Opko Health common stock by Dr. Phillip Frost, CEO and Chairman of Opko. Dr. Frost has requested clearance to purchase additional shares of Opko Health common stock, which this action by the Justice Department now makes feasible.

About Opko Health, Inc.

Miami-based Opko is a specialty healthcare company. Its lead investigational drug, the pioneering gene silencing agent bevasiranib, has entered a pivotal Phase 3 trial after successfully completing Phase 2 trials for wet age-related macular degeneration and macular degeneration. Opko is developing a pre-clinical pipeline of novel agents for ophthalmic diseases, and it also intends to market diagnostic systems that complement its therapeutic products. The company recently announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc. (OTI), a provider of innovative patient imaging systems to eye care professionals worldwide.

    Contacts:                             Media:
    Corporate:                            GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners
    Steven D. Rubin                       Barbara Lindheim
    305 575 6015                          212 918-4650

SOURCE Opko Health Inc.

Released July 12, 2007