ADVISORY/Tissue Banks Convene to Review Safety Standards and New Methods of Tissue Sterilization; New Data Show CLEARANT PROCESS Achieves Highest Level of Tissue Safety.

Business Editors/Health Writers

ADVISORY...for August 26 (Monday)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT: A major session at the 26th Annual Meeting of the American
    Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)--New Advances in Tissue
    Sterilization--will examine the growing need for elevated
    industry-wide safety standards and review data from the CLEARANT
    PROCESS(TM), an advanced pathogen inactivation technology.

    --  The CLEARANT PROCESS(TM) is the only technology available that
        can completely penetrate tissue to destroy all types of
        pathogens and can be applied at any stage of processing,
        including the final container step, which, unlike other
        methods will allow tissue processors to substantiate a
        sterilization claim. However, to date, the CLEARANT
        PROCESS(TM) has not been widely adopted by tissue banks.

WHY: Increasing reports of infections caused by tissue transplants
    have given rise to an urgent industry-wide need for tissue banks
    to elevate current safety standards and adopt advanced pathogen
    inactivation technologies, such as the CLEARANT PROCESS(TM).

    --  In November 2001, 23 year-old Brian Lykins died after
        receiving a tissue transplant contaminated with Clostridia (a
        type of bacteria), which led to a temporary halt to all
        elective knee surgeries in Minnesota.
    --  Over the past year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control &
        Prevention (CDC) identified 54 cases of infections, including
        the one death, caused by contaminated tissues, and has
        recommended elevating safety standards and more effective
        sterilization methods be adopted.
    --  In May 2002, a tissue bank voluntarily recalled its tissue due
        to contamination with Clostridia and two months later received
        a warning letter from U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
        citing continued problems with its processing procedures.
    --  Last week, the FDA recalled human tissue from a large
        tissue-processing firm bringing the public, medical and
        regulatory concern about tissue safety to an all time high.

WHO: Session presenters and thought leaders are available for
    interview, including perspectives of:

    --  Industry

        --  James Forsell, PhD, AATB Session Moderator, Chair of the
            AATB Musculoskeletal Council and Executive Vice President
            of Tissue Banks International

    --  Physicians With Extensive Tissue Transplant Experience

        --  Warren King, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon, Palo Alto Medical
            Foundation, and Medical Consultant to the Oakland Raiders
            NFL Team in Oakland, California
        --  David Langer, MD, Neurosurgeon, Beth Israel Medical
            Center, New York, NY

    --  Clearant, Inc.

        --  William Drohan, PhD, President
        --  Alain Delongchamp, Chief Operating Officer
        --  Wilson Burgess, PhD, Senior Vice President, Research and
            Development

    --  Government

        --  Lennox Archibald, PhD, Acting Medical Director Epidemic
            Intelligence Exchange, Centers for Disease Control &
            Prevention

WHEN: Monday, August 26, 2002
      8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

WHERE: Sheraton Boston Hotel, Grand Ballroom
       39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Christie Anbar or Amy Covino, Belsito & Company

[phone]