Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:	Adam C. Derbyshire	Mike Freeman
	Senior Vice President and	Director, Investor Relations and
	Chief Financial Officer	Corporate Communications
	919-862-1000	919-862-1000

SALIX PHARMACEUTICALS TO PRESENT AT SMITH

BARNEY SPECIALTY PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE

RALEIGH, NC, February 17, 2004 - Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (Nasdaq:SLXP) today announced that the Company will present at the Smith Barney 4^th Annual Specialty Pharmaceutical Conference in New York, NY on Tuesday, February 24 at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Interested parties can access a live audio web cast of the presentation at http://www.salix.com. A replay of the presentation will be available beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET, Tuesday, February 24 and will be available through Monday, March 1.

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops and markets prescription pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Salix’s strategy is to in-license late-stage or marketed proprietary therapeutic drugs, complete any required development and regulatory submission of these products, and market them through the Company’s 100-member gastroenterology specialty sales and marketing team. Salix trades on the Nasdaq National Market under the ticker symbol “SLXP.”

For more information please contact the Company at 919-862-1000 or visit our web site at www.salix.com. Information on our web site is not incorporated in our SEC filings.