Behring Diagnostics Announces FTC Clearance to Merge with Dade International.

FRANKFURT, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 18, 1997--Behring Diagnostics today announced receipt of notification from the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that the waiting period prescribed in the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act of 1976 has been waived. As such, with this action, Behring Diagnostics has been granted clearance from the FTC to move forward with the merger of Dade International. Clearance from government authorities in Europe is still pending.

Uwe Bicker, chairman and CEO of Behring Diagnostics, said, "This is a significant milestone for both companies. While we are waiting for comment, and ultimately, approval from the European authorities in Brussels, we will continue to work as two separate companies. Depending on the length of the regulatory review by the European Commission, we are expecting the merger to be completed by late summer or early fall."

As previously stated, the resulting stand-alone company, to be named Dade Behring Inc., will have annual sales of more than U.S. $1.5 billion, approximately 8,700 employees, operations across the industrialized nations, and the broadest available offering of products and services for clinical laboratories in hospitals and elsewhere. Approximately half of Dade Behring's sales will be in the United States and half in other countries.

With headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, Behring Diagnostics GmbH, manufactures and markets in vitro diagnostic systems used by healthcare professionals in hospitals and laboratories throughout the world. Behring Diagnostics had sales of DM 930 million, in 1996, and employs approximately 3,000 worldwide. -0-

All products trademarked in this announcement are registered trademarks of Behring Diagnostics GmbH.

CONTACT: Behring Diagnostics

Charlotte Dexter

[phone]

or in the United States,

+ 1 [phone], box 9778

or

Dade International

Philip Smith

[phone]