Bracco Diagnostics Inc. and HealthTrust Purchasing Group Sign a Three-Year Agreement for Contrast Media.

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Bracco Diagnostics Inc., the US-based subsidiary of Bracco Imaging SpA which is part of Bracco Group and is one of the world leading companies in the imaging agent business, and HealthTrust Purchasing Group (HealthTrust), one of the leading healthcare group purchasing organizations in the United States, announced today a three year agreement, to make Bracco Imaging SpA's Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast media products available to HealthTrust members through 2010.

This agreement includes MultiHance([R]) (gadobenate dimeglumine) injection, 529 mg/mL and ProHance([R])(gadoteridol) injection 279.3 mg/mL.

"We are very excited to expand our partnership with HealthTrust to include our MR portfolio. This agreement provides HealthTrust members access to high quality MR contrast media," said Carlo Medici, President & CEO, Bracco Diagnostics Inc.

The agreement is effective September 1, 2007 and extends through August 31, 2010. HealthTrust members with questions regarding the new agreement are encouraged to contact their Bracco Imaging sales representative directly.

About Bracco Imaging

Bracco Imaging SpA is one of the world leading companies in the imaging agent business, with products sold in over 80 countries and about 1,250 employees, around 300 of whom work in R&D, Medical and Regulatory Affairs. Bracco Imaging is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Bracco Imaging is a subsidiary of Bracco SpA holding company of the Bracco Group which also markets Ethical and OTC pharmaceutical products and Healthcare Services in Italy, as well as Advanced Medical Technology systems on a world wide basis, through the Bracco AMT companies, ACIST Medical Systems and Volume Interactions.

About HealthTrust

HealthTrust Purchasing Group, headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, is a group purchasing organization that supports over 1,300 not-for-profit and for-profit acute care hospitals, 430 ambulatory surgery centers, nearly 2,500 physician practices, as well as over 3,000 alternate care sites. With an annual purchasing volume by its members of more than $13 billion, HealthTrust is committed to obtaining the best price for clinically-recommended products, ensuring their timely delivery and continuously evaluating and improving its services to the patients, physicians and clinicians it serves. HealthTrust is located at 155 Franklin Road, Suite 400, Brentwood, TN 37027. Website: www.healthtrustpg.com.

About MultiHance

MultiHance is a MRI contrast agent. Bracco launched MultiHance in Europe in 1998 and received FDA approval to market in the US in 2004. Unlike other paramagnetic contrast agents, MultiHance demonstrates weak and transient interactions with serum proteins that causes slowing in the molecular tumbling dynamics, resulting in strong increases in relaxivity in solutions containing serum proteins. The improved relaxation effect could potentially contribute to improved visualization.

MultiHance is a gadolinium based contrast agent indicated for intravenous use in MRI of the CNS in adults to visualize lesions with abnormal blood brain barrier or abnormal vascularity of the brain, spine and associated tissues.

MultiHance is currently under clinical investigation for additional indications.

About ProHance

ProHance is a nonionic MRI contrast agent. It was launched in the US market in 1992. ProHance is the only nonionic MRI contrast agent for CNS with a high dose indication in adults (0.1 plus 0.2 mmol/kg cumulative dose) that does not interfere with other laboratory tests.

ProHance is a gadolinium based contrast agent indicated for use in MRI in adults and children over two years of age to visualize lesions with abnormal vascularity in the brain, spine and associated tissues. ProHance is also indicated for use in MRI in adults to visualize lesions in the head and neck.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents increase the risk for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in patients with:

- Acute or chronic severe renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate < 30mL/min/1.73m2), or

- Acute renal insufficiency of any severity due to the hepato-renal syndrome or in the perioperative liver transplantation period.

In these patients, avoid use of gadolinium-based contrast agents unless the diagnostic information is essential and not available with non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). NSF may result in fatal or debilitating systemic fibrosis affecting the skin, muscle and internal organs. Screen all patients for renal dysfunction by obtaining a history and/or laboratory tests. When administering a gadolinium-based contrast agent, do not exceed the recommended dose and allow a sufficient period of time for elimination of the agent from the body prior to any readministration.

As with all paramagnetic agents, caution should be exercised in patients with deoxygenated sickle erythrocytes and renal insufficiency with or without hepatic impairment. The possibility of a reaction, including serious, life threatening, or fatal, anaphylactic or cardiovascular reactions, or other idiosyncratic reactions, should always be considered, especially in those patients with a history of a known clinical hypersensitivity or a history of asthma or other allergic respiratory disorders.

Please see full Prescribing Information for both MultiHance and ProHance including boxed WARNING.

For full Prescribing Information on both MultiHance and ProHance, please go to http://www.bracco.com/usa/en-US/Imaging/MRI/.

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