EXHIBIT 99.1

June 28, 2002



K-V Pharmaceutical Company
2503 South Hanley Road
St. Louis, Missouri  63144


Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-90094)


Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel for K-V Pharmaceutical Company, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of 4,600,000 shares
("Shares") of the Class A common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value per
share, of which 3,285,000 Shares are being issued by the Company, 715,000 Shares
are being sold by certain stockholders of the Company (the "Selling
Stockholders"), and up to 600,000 Shares may be sold by the Company solely to
cover over-allotments in connection with the offering. The Shares are proposed
to be sold on the terms and conditions to be set forth in an underwriting
agreement by and among the Company, the Selling Stockholders and Credit Suisse
First Boston Corporation, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Bank of America
Securities LLC, CIBC World Markets, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated and
UBS Warburg, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein (the
"Underwriting Agreement"), a form of which was filed as Exhibit 1 to the
captioned registration statement. In connection with this opinion, we have
examined such corporate records, certificates and other documents as we have
considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. In such
examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity
of the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.

         Based only on the foregoing, the undersigned is of the opinion that,
when the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-90094) relating to the
Shares has become effective under the Act and the sale of the Shares has been
consummated pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Shares will be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

         We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm in the section of the
Registration Statement entitled "Legal Matters."

         Very truly yours,

         /s/ Thompson Coburn LLP