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                                   Exhibit 20



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                      CONTACT:  Kimberly A. Marks
October 11, 1995                                      Atrix Laboratories, Inc.
                                                      (970) 482-5868

                                            OR:       Melissa Wilmoth
                                                      Cameron Associates, Inc.
                                                      (212) 644-9560

                          ATRIX LABORATORIES ANNOUNCES
                        POSITIVE CLINICAL STUDY RESULTS
                        AND PLANS FOR COMMERCIALIZATION

FORT COLLINS, CO--OCTOBER 11, 1995--Atrix Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATRX)
today announced it has completed the statistical analysis of the one year
pivotal study completed in July of the ATRISORB(TM) Guided Tissue Regeneration
(GTR) product.  The results were positive and therefore pave the way for the
filing of a 510(k) medical device application with the Food and Drug
Administration in the fourth quarter of this year.  The ATRISORB(TM) GTR Barrier
is a medical device designed to aid periodontal tissue healing following gum
surgery.

Unlike some products currently used to perform this procedure, the Atrix
product is biodegradable, avoiding the need for a second surgical procedure for
removal.  The pivotal study just completed compared the performance of the
ATRISORB(TM) Barrier with the leading product on the market in an effort to
determine substantial equivalency.

Dr. Steven Garrett, Vice President of Dental Clinical Research for Atrix, said,
"The conduct and results of this study were gratifying.  If the FDA agrees with
our analysis of the performance data and determines that the product is
substantially equivalent, I believe periodontists will find the ATRISORB(TM) GTR
Barrier very user friendly with distinct advantages over products currently
being used."

Based upon the favorable outcome of the study, the Company is proceeding with
plans to begin marketing the barrier in five European countries during the
first quarter of next year.  In preparation for commercialization, the Company
also announced the appointment of Mr. Michael R. Duncan to the newly-created
position of Vice President of Manufacturing.  Mr. Duncan comes to Atrix from
Geneva Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a division of Ciba-Geigy Corp., where he was the
Director of Production Operations.  Duncan has twelve years of experience in
the manufacturing and packaging of a variety of pharmaceutical products.  His
immediate duties will be to support the launch of the ATRISORB(TM) GTR Barrier 
in Europe, but he is also responsible for the long term sourcing aspects of the
Company's strategic plan.





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John Urheim, Vice Chairman and CEO said, "We are pleased to have Mike joining
us at this important time.  His role is a critical one in our overall plan of
building a state-of-the-art manufacturing infrastructure appropriate to support
the Company's commercial efforts worldwide."

Atrix Laboratories, Inc., is a drug delivery and medical device company whose
platform technology is comprised of the ATRIGEL(TM) biodegradable polymeric
system, which can be used for a broad range of applications, including drug
delivery, medical devices and the treatment of periodontal disease.

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