11.05.2005 – 08:04

Orion Corporation

Orion Group Interim Report 1-3/2005

Espoo, Finland (ots/PRNewswire)

Net sales of the Orion Group
were EUR 465.3 (496.9) million,  down by 6.4% due to decreased
invoicing of the pharmaceutical distribution  business. Group
operating profit grew by 52.2% to EUR 50.8 (33.4) million,  thanks to
the favourable performance of Orion Pharma. Group profit before
taxes was EUR 50.6 (33.0) million. Earnings per share were EUR 0.27
(0.17).  Equity ratio was 40.7% (46.8%). ROI was 31.6% (16.2%).

• Orion shifted to IFRS reporting as of January 2005. Also the comparative figures for 2004 are in accordance with IFRS.
• The FAS-IFRS reconciliations of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet for the comparative period 1-3/2004 are presented in the end of the Tables section.
• The main IFRS accounting principles applied by the Orion Group are published as an attachment to this Release.
• The figures in this Release have not been audited. Those in the parentheses are for the comparative period.

Board of Directors of Orion Corporation
    Orion Corporation
    Jukka Viinanen Jari Karlson
    President and CEO CFO

Contact persons:

Jukka Viinanen, President and CEO, Orion Corporation, phone
+358-10-429-3710

Jari Karlson, CFO, Orion Group, phone +358-10-429-2883, gsm
+358-50-429-2883

This Interim Report will be presented to the media and
institutional investors today 11 May 2005 in a Press Conference in
Kansallissali, Helsinki, starting at 10.30 am. The language of the
event is Finnish.

The Finnish presentation can be followed on-line via the Internet
homepage www.orion.fi/sijoittajille, or via the Kauppalehti Live web
service, www.kauppalehti.fi/live.

A webcast presentation in English will become available as of
early afternoon 11 May 2005 on www.orion.fi/investors, on
www.kauppalehti.fi/live, as well as via Thomson/CCBN's web service
www.fulldisclosure.com or Thomson's extranet service for
institutional investors, www.streetevents.com.

Publication schedule for Orion's Interim Reports for Q2 and Q3

Interim Report 1-6/2005 Tuesday 9 August 2005 at 8.30 am

Interim Report 1-9/2005 Tuesday 8 November 2005 at 8.30 am

A Capital Markets Day is planned to be held by Orion in London on
Tuesday, 22 November 2005.

The financial reports of the Orion Group as well as the related
material will be available on the company's homepage for investors,
www.orion.fi/investors, instantly upon publication.

Contact:

Jukka Viinanen, President and CEO, Orion Corporation, Tel:
+358-10-429-3710, Jari Karlson, CFO, Orion Group, Tel:
+358-10-429-2883, gsm +358-50-429-2883