Bard Announces 100th Patient Treated With Bard EndoCinch Suturing System for Chronic, Severe Heartburn.

Business Editors

MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2000

C. R. Bard, Inc. (NYSE-BCR) today announced 100 patients have been treated with the Bard(R) EndoCinch(TM) Suturing System since it received Food and Drug Administration clearance in late March 2000. Like the majority of patients treated with the EndoCinch procedure, the 100th patient required only mild sedation for the procedure, and was able to return home the same day. The patient was treated at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI.

The EndoCinch(TM) device is used to treat symptomatic GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. GERD is a chronic digestive condition in which stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, causing severe heartburn. Prolonged exposure to stomach acid can lead to ulcers, asthma, and the development of esophageal cancer. Studies suggest that 60 million people have monthly heartburn and approximately 15 million experience daily heartburn, with one's chances of having the condition increasing with age.

During the EndoCinch(TM) procedure, a thin, flexible endoscopic tube is inserted down the patient's throat - a method that requires no incisions or general anesthesia. At the end of the endoscope, the EndoCinch(TM) device, much like a miniature sewing machine, is used to place at the top of the stomach. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis, and patients can typically return to normal activities the next day.

"Treating our 100th patient is a critical milestone because it demonstrates widespread acceptance of this new procedure by the medical community, payers, and patients," said Bard Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, William H. Longfield. "Finally, there is an endoscopic treatment for chronic heartburn that is simple, non-invasive, and allows patients to return to a normal quality of life virtually overnight," he added. "This product provides a breakthrough therapy and complements Bard's complete line of minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic products used with flexible endoscopy in gastroenterology."

Because the EndoCinch(TM) procedure does not require an incision and allows for faster recovery times, it may be more cost effective than other treatments that consume large amounts of healthcare dollars. For example, in 1999, the U.S. spent $8.5 billion on 90 million prescriptions for GERD medications. For patients who don't respond to or don't want to take daily medications, surgery was traditionally the only other available option. In 1999, an estimated 70,000 anti-reflux surgeries were performed; two studies done in 1995 estimate the cost of this surgery to be $15,000 per procedure.

Bard's Interventional Products Division, located in Billerica, MA, markets the EndoCinch(TM) device.

C. R. Bard, Inc., (www.crbard.com) headquartered in Murray Hill, New Jersey, is a leading multinational developer, manufacturer and marketer of health care products in the fields of vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialty products.