FOSTER CITY, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 17, 2011) - SciClone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ SCLN ]) today announced that the Company will be added to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index^® (NASDAQ: [ NBI ]). The semi-annual re-ranking of the index will become effective prior to market opening on Monday, November 21, 2011.

"SciClone's inclusion in the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index^® underlines the solid progress the company is making and is another validation of our strategy of creating a market-leading, China-focused specialty pharmaceutical company," commented Friedhelm Blobel, Ph.D., SciClone President and Chief Executive Officer.

The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is designed to track the performance of a set of NASDAQ listed securities that are classified as either biotechnology or pharmaceutical according to the Industry Classification Benchmark (ICB). The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index is the basis for the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index(SM) Fund (NASDAQ: [ IBB ]), which seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index. In addition, options based on the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index and the iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index Fund trade on various exchanges.

For more information about the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, including detailed eligibility criteria, please visit [ https://indexes.nasdaqomx.com/ ].

About SciClone
SciClone Pharmaceuticals is a revenue-generating, profitable, specialty pharmaceutical company with a substantial commercial business in China and a product portfolio of therapies for oncology, infectious diseases and cardiovascular, urological, respiratory, and central nervous system disorders. SciClone's ZADAXIN^® (thymalfasin) is approved in over 30 countries and may be used for the treatment of hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV), as a vaccine adjuvant, and certain cancers according to the local regulatory approvals. Besides ZADAXIN, SciClone markets nearly 20 mostly partnered products in China, including Depakine®, the most widely prescribed broad-spectrum anti-convulsant in China; Tritace®, an ACE inhibitor for the treatment of hypertension; Stilnox®, a fast-acting hypnotic for the short-term treatment of insomnia (marketed as Ambien® in the US); and Aggrastat®, a recently-launched interventional cardiology product. SciClone is also developing SCV-07 in a phase 2b trial for the delay to onset of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer. SciClone is also pursuing the registration of several other therapeutic products in China. SciClone is headquartered in Foster City, California. For additional information, please visit [ www.sciclone.com ].

Ambien, Depakine, Stilnox and Tritace are registered trademarks of Sanofi.

Aggrastat is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc.