UPDATE 1-ViroPharma posts Q4 loss on higher expenses, charge

* Q4 loss/shr $0.01 vs year-ago EPS $0.25

* Sees 2009 net product sales of $250 mln to $270 mln

Feb 24 (Reuters) - ViroPharma Inc (VPHM.O) posted a quarterly loss, hurt by higher expenses and an asset-impairment charge.

For the fourth quarter, the company posted a net loss of $977,000, or 1 cent a share, compared with net income of $20.4 million, or 25 cents a share, a year ago.

Research and development expense rose 70 percent to $21.2 million, while selling, general and administrative expense increased 76 percent to $22.4 million.

During the quarter, the company incurred an impairment charge of $2.3 million.

Revenue rose 5 pct to $50.0 million.

For 2009, the company expects net product sales of $250 million to $270 million.

Earlier this month, the company stopped the late-stage trial of its experimental antiviral drug candidate maribavir, after the drug failed in a prior late-stage study.

Shares of the company closed at $5.68 Monday on Nasdaq.

For the alerts, double-click [ID:nWNAB6048] (Reporting by Anand Basu in Bangalore; Editing by Vinu Pilakkott)