Cornerstone Therapeutics Provides Update on Integration Activities and Issues 2008 Revenue Guidance

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CRTX), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing prescription medications for respiratory disorders, today provided an update on the status of its integration activities following the closing of the business combination of Critical Therapeutics, Inc. and Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. on October 31, 2008, and the renaming of the combined company as Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. (the Company).

Following the October 31, 2008 closing, the Company has been taking action to effectively and efficiently combine the operations of the two companies. In completing the integration, the Company has achieved a number of key milestones:

    --  The Company has discontinued all former Critical Therapeutics research
        projects and completed a review of those research projects to identify
        promising technologies suitable for outlicensing to third parties. As a
        result of this review, the Company has initiated a process to seek
        potential licensees for certain technologies, including the alpha 7
        mediated anti-inflammatory pathway program.
    --  The Company completed a restructuring of former Critical Therapeutics
        officers and employees that resulted in Scott Townsend, General Counsel
        and Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs, and 12 former Critical
        Therapeutics sales representatives remaining with Cornerstone.
    --  The former Critical Therapeutics facility in Lexington, MA has been
        vacated and the sublease terminated.

Aggregate revenues from the Company's products have continued to be strong in the fourth quarter. The Company anticipates 2008 net revenues to be in excess of $64 million, which will include revenues attributable to ZYFLO(R) and ZYFLO CR(R) only for the months of November and December.

"We have completed the process of combining the operations of the two companies," said Craig A. Collard, Cornerstone's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our recent move to the combined company's new headquarters completes a significant aspect of the integration process. The Company expects the excellent year over year growth in revenues during the fourth quarter that we experienced in the first three quarters of the year to continue during the fourth quarter, and we will enter 2009 with a strong portfolio of products being sold by over 60 sales representatives."

Separately, Cornerstone today also announced that, effective immediately, Josh Franklin, the Company's Vice President, Marketing, will assume additional responsibilities for sales and he has been named Vice President, Sales and Marketing. Concurrent to this appointment, George Esgro has resigned as Vice President, Sales, effective immediately, to pursue other interests.

"I want to thank George for his contributions to Cornerstone and wish him well in his future endeavors," said Mr. Collard. "We are fortunate to have someone with Josh's skill set and vast experience and I am confident that in his expanded role he will provide strong leadership that helps drive continued sales growth in our business."

Prior to joining the Company in September 2008, Mr. Franklin was a key member of the marketing team at Ther-Rx Corporation (a subsidiary of KV Pharmaceutical) during a critical five-year growth period, serving most recently as Vice President, Marketing. In previous positions, Mr. Franklin filled marketing roles with Biovail Pharmaceuticals and the Ross Products Division of Abbott Labs. In these positions, he launched and managed products throughout various lifecycle phases in multiple therapeutic categories. Mr. Franklin is a U.S. Army veteran and holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Methodist University and M.H.A. and M.B.A. degrees from The Ohio State University.

Finally, the Company also announced today that it has relocated its corporate headquarters to 1255 Crescent Green Drive, Suite 250, Cary, NC 27518.