AtCor Medical and Encorium Group, Inc. Broaden Market Reach with Alliance for Clinical Research Trials.

WAYNE, Pa. -- Encorium Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENCO), an international full service contract research organization (CRO) that provides comprehensive clinical solutions for pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, and AtCor Medical Holdings Limited (ASX:ACG), the developer and marketer of the SphygmoCor system which measures central blood pressures non-invasively, today announced a joint marketing agreement for products and services that is anticipated to strengthen the fundamental value offerings of both companies.

This agreement will build on synergies between the companies' customers and markets. Both companies have existing sales and service networks throughout North America and Europe. Encorium is focused on designing and conducting drug development programs for its clients and has extensive cardiovascular and cardiovascular-related clinical trial experience. AtCor Medical's SphygmoCor system has been utilized in pharmaceutical trials and adopted by leading cardiovascular centers worldwide. Measurement of central blood pressures has helped explain physiological variation between the effects of different drugs; these could not be detected using standard cuff blood pressure measurement methods. Studies have also established that elevated central blood pressure is an independent predictor of heart attack and stroke, and that reducing central blood pressures helped lower the risk of cardiovascular events.

AtCor Medical chief executive officer, Duncan Ross, said: "We are delighted to co-market SphygmoCor and our clinical trial services with Encorium, a company which has a strong track record of growth in global drug development and CRO markets. Providing technology and services for pharmaceutical trials is the fastest growing sector of our business. Noninvasive central blood pressure monitoring in clinical trials will help our customers demonstrate the cardiovascular benefits of new drugs. By working with Encorium, which is an expert in clinical study and program development, we can proactively assist customers with the effective integration of state-of-the-art technology and innovative clinical trial design and operations across every stage of drug development."

Kenneth M. Borow, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer for Encorium Group, commented, "We are excited by the opportunity to work with AtCor Medical to help make a difference in the way that blood pressure (BP) is viewed by the medical community and patients. As a cardiologist, I have followed the development of the SphygmoCor system from its inception more than a decade ago. I have been very impressed by the multiple contributions that AtCor Medical has made to the understanding of the clinical importance of reflected pressure waves and their impact on central aortic blood pressure measurements. This is in contrast to the traditional method of assessing BP that uses peripheral (i.e., arm) measurements to determine clinical treatment strategies for hypertension and heart failure as well as the effects of drugs and biologics in patients."

Dr. Borow continued, "The results of the recent CAFE Study (see www.medscape.com/viewarticle/538980) are particularly impressive and suggest that central aortic blood pressure measurements may be a better predictor of subsequent cardiovascular events than the century-old method based on a stethoscope and a pneumatic cuff placed around the upper arm. We believe that increased awareness of the potential advantages of using a much more physiologically appropriate method of assessing the effects of interventions (including drugs and medical devices) on blood pressure, heart function, and cardiovascular risk is both necessary and warranted. We are delighted to be part of this effort."