Berlin Heart INCOR VAD with Carmeda Coating Supports Patient for 520 Days.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

BIOWIRE2K

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 2, 2003

Berlin Heart AG's implantable INCOR(R) axial-flow blood pump with the Carmeda(R) BioActive Surface (CBAS(R)) has effectively supported a patient for 520 days. Furthermore, the pump has been used in more than 80 cases with an average treatment of 111 days. This information is according to Berlin Heart's press release of 21 November 2003.

Berlin Heart further states that its Carmeda-coated EXCOR(R) paracorporeal pump has provided support in a 72-year-old patient for more than 1,100 days (more than three years).

Krister Ljungqvist, Managing Director of Carmeda, states, "Carmeda is impressed by the fact that the Carmeda-coated VAD's from Berlin Heart show remarkable longevity. Berlin Heart has been a Carmeda partner for many years. They pioneered use of the Carmeda coating on VAD's."

EXCOR and INCOR are not available for sale in the United States.

The Carmeda surface is a proprietary heparin coating which retains thromboresistant properties for periods lasting several months. This long-term bioactivity, coupled with the fact that the stable heparin coating does not leave the device surface, differentiates the Carmeda surface from other coatings designed to improve the hemocompatibility of blood-contacting devices. The Carmeda surface is the most prevalent and clinically proven thromboresistant coating applied to critical medical devices by U.S. and European device manufacturers. Since 1985 Carmeda has commercialized the "end-point attachment" of immobilized heparin molecules to medical device surfaces. CBAS is utilized on Propaten(R) vascular grafts (W.L. Gore and Associates; not available in US), stents with Hepacoat(R) (Cordis), blood oxygenators (Medtronic), and other critical devices.

Carmeda AB (Upplands Vasby, Sweden) is owned by HealthCap, Investor Growth Capital, and other investors. HealthCap is a family of multi-stage venture capital funds, investing internationally in life sciences. Investor Growth Capital is a private equity advisory group wholly owned by Sweden's largest investment group Investor AB. For additional information please visit www.carmeda.com.