Bio-Plexus and Graphic Control Sign Distribution Agreement.

VERNON, Conn.--(BW HealthWire)--Oct. 15, 1998--Bio-Plexus, Inc. (NASDAQ:BPLX), designer, developer, manufacturer, and marketer of safety medical needles and other products under the PUNCTUR-GUARD(R) and DROP-IT(R) names, today announced a non-exclusive supply and distribution agreement for the United States and Canada with Graphic Controls Corporation of Buffalo, New York. The agreement allows Graphic Controls to purchase and distribute Bio-Plexus Drop-It Needle Disposal Containers and Drop-It Quick Release Needle Holders.

"Graphic Controls is a major supplier of sharps containers in the United States and has contracts with the major group purchasing organizations (GPO's) in the country. We expect that this relationship will result in quick market penetration for Bio-Plexus products in otherwise hard-to-access accounts," said Thomas K. Sutton, Executive Vice President for Marketing & Sales at Bio-Plexus. "We further expect that this Supply and Distribution Agreement will help grow our business by increasing sales in the near term," he continued. "When combined with the news of the new California law mandating the use of safety needles, this is an extremely significant event for Bio-Plexus and yet another indicator of the opportunity to expand our sales and distribution network," Sutton concluded.

Bio-Plexus holds U.S. and international patents on safety medical devices marketed under the Punctur-Guard and Drop-It brand names. These devices are designed to reduce the incidence of accidental needlesticks among healthcare workers. In a Centers for Disease Control study, Punctur-Guard Blood Collection Needles were found to reduce the rate of accidental needlesticks by 76%, the highest rate of any device studied. Accidental needlesticks number more than 950,000 per year in the United States and can result in the transmission of deadly diseases including HIV and Hepatitis B and C.

In recent news, Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE:TYC) announced its intention to purchase Graphic Controls Corporation. Tyco, a leader in disposable medical products, recently completed strategic purchases of medical device companies including U.S. Surgical (NYSE:USS), Kendall Co., and Sherwood-Davis & Geck.

Note: This press release may contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to change. The actual results may differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statement.