Biopool International Announces Exclusive License to Newly Issued Patent.

VENTURA, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--July 22, 1998--Biopool International Inc. (Nasdaq:BIPL) Wednesday announced that on July 7, 1998, the U.S. Patent Office issued a patent for "Characterization or Determination of the Amount of Blood Cells by Means of Poultry Antibodies" to the inventors of the technology, Drs. Tomas Lindahl and Anders Larsson, who are clinical hemostasis researchers in Sweden.

Biopool entered into an agreement with the inventors in 1994 to be the worldwide exclusive licensee of the technology and has funded expenses associated with obtaining the patent.

The technology utilizes a novel method of using antibodies derived from poultry sources -- such as chickens -- to detect blood platelets and measure their status of activation.

Unlike antibodies from mammalian sources, chicken antibodies do not spontaneously induce platelet activation, making them exquisitely sensitive to detecting activated and non-activated forms of platelets by flow cytometry.

Specifically, this unique antibody binds to fibrinogen when complexed to the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, which is one of the essential first steps in the activation of platelets. Once this occurs, the platelets become "sticky," an early step in forming blood clots, which may ultimately block arteries.

Biopool has begun to commercialize an antibody-based product utilizing the patented technology, and research reports have been published using Biopool's chicken antibodies to diagnose platelet dysfunction in certain disorders, measure immune complexes in malignant disease and, perhaps most importantly, to monitor the efficiency of anti-platelet drugs.

Michael D. Bick, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Biopool, stated, "Perhaps the greatest new wave of therapeutic drugs under development and coming to market are anti-thrombotics, many of which are aimed at controlling platelet activity, a key component in thrombus formation, which can lead to possible heart attacks.

"As recently as May of this year, Merck received FDA approval for `Aggrastat' and COR/Schering-Plough received approval for `Integrellin.' Both of the drugs are anti-thrombotics, which inhibit platelet activity by blocking the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, and are approved for treating acute coronary syndrome (e.g., unstable angina).

"With the expected widespread acceptance of the use of these therapeutic drugs, we believe there is a growing need to assess those individuals who are candidates to receive such drugs and to monitor the efficacy of treatment, which will require an entirely new diagnostic approach.

"We believe that this new patented technology, coupled with measurement by flow cytometry or other means, is ideal for use in diagnosing and monitoring patients undergoing such therapy."

Dr. Bick cautioned: "Although the company is currently marketing an antibody test based on this technology in Europe, the test is still being evaluated in the clinical research setting and will require FDA approval to be marketed in the U.S. The potential size of the market is still unknown and will very much depend upon its acceptance as a useful clinical tool."

Founded in 1987, Biopool International develops, manufactures and markets a full range of test kits to assess and diagnose disorders of blood coagulation, thrombotic risk factors, fibrinolysis, platelet function and the vascular system; specialty chemistry controls used to monitor and measure the presence of drugs of abuse; and blood group serology products used to screen for antibodies and group and type whole blood.

The company's product line of more than 150 FDA-approved products is sold to hospitals, blood bank facilities, and clinical and reference laboratories on a worldwide basis by the company's own sales representatives, as well as through an extensive network of distributors.

NOTE: This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding market expectations for a new technology which is based upon current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, technological innovations of competitors, changes in health care regulations, litigation claims, foreign currency fluctuation, product acceptance or changes in government regulation of the company's products, as well as other factors discussed in the company's last report on Form 10-K-SB under "Risk Factors."

    CONTACT: Biopool International Inc., Ventura
              Michael D. Bick, 805/654-0643
              Carol Hill, 805/654-0643 (corporate communications)