Abaxis completes final phase of pre-launch activities for international distribution of Piccolo System.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(HealthWire)--March 14, 1996--ABAXIS Inc. (NASDAQ NM:ABAX), a medical products company, Thursday completed an extensive training seminar for its newly established, international distributor force, marking the final phase of pre-launch activities for international distribution of the Piccolo Portable Blood Analyzer.

Some systems already have been shipped to certain distributors in anticipation of future roll-out of Piccolo into targeted international markets.

Approximately 24 representatives from ABAXIS' international distributors attended the three day intensive training program at the company's Sunnyvale headquarters.

The program reviewed and established marketing strategies in various countries and provided technical training on the construction and operation of the Piccolo System. ABAXIS will initiate a similar program for its domestic sales force, and a separate program for select Baxter Healthcare representatives. Baxter Healthcare is the first national distributor for the Piccolo System in the United States.

"It is critical that our distributors are properly armed with the necessary tools and direction to ensure a smooth and effective roll-out of the Piccolo System," said Gary Stroy, president and chief executive officer of ABAXIS. "These training sessions will enable us to build momentum and teamwork among our distributors and provide a forum to evaluate our marketing strategies."

In preparation for introduction to the international human health care market, the initial pre-launch phase consisted of establishing a solid distribution network, which to date includes 15 distributors covering different market segments in Asia, Europe, South America and South Africa.

Phase two involved shipping product, instruments and reagent discs, to distributors to conduct test marketing trials and small clinical evaluation studies to build awareness of the product and an initial following among opinion leaders in the medical community in certain countries. The final pre-launch activity consists of training the worldwide distribution network to affectively sell and distribute the product.

Founded in 1989, ABAXIS develops, manufactures, and markets portable blood analysis systems for use in any patient-care setting to provide clinicians with rapid blood constituent measurements. The system consists of a compact, 6.9 kilogram, portable analyzer and a series of 8 cm diameter single-use plastic disks, called reagent discs, that contain all the reagents necessary to perform a fixed menu of tests.

The system can be operated with minimal training and perform multiple routine tests on whole blood using either venous or fingerstick samples. The system provides test results in less than 14 minutes with the precision and accuracy equivalent to a clinical laboratory.

CONTACT: ABAXIS Inc., Sunnyvale

Ting Lu, 408/745-6851

or

Pondel Parsons & Wilkinson

Rob Whetstone, 310/207-9300

Internet: [e-mail]