Cell Robotics Completes Lasette U.S. Distribution Agreement with Bindley Western Industries.

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BW HealthWire)--Jan. 10, 2001

Cell Robotics International Inc. (CRII.OB), the developer and manufacturer of the FDA-cleared Lasette(R), a diabetes management product, today announced that it has signed a three year, non-exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with Bindley Western Industries, Inc (NYSE: BDY). Under the terms of the agreement, Indianapolis-based Bindley Western will distribute the Lasette through its 16 distribution centers in 15 states across the United States. Customers include independent drug stores, chain drug stores, supermarkets and mass retailers with their own pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, HMOs, and managed care organizations. The award-winning Lasette is a miniature laser finger perforator, slightly larger than a cell phone, that allows diabetics to test blood glucose levels with minimal pain, no lingering soreness, and negligible residual bleeding. The Lasette also eliminates the fear associated with the use of a steel lancet, especially for needle-phobics.

Ronald K. Lohrding, Ph.D., Cell Robotics president and CEO, stated: "This distribution agreement with Bindley Western provides us with immediate access to a proven and reputable sales force that can place the Lasette in a large number of pharmacies, thus making it available to a greater number of home-use customers. Additionally, over the last few months, we have made key sales staff appointments that will complement Bindley Western's efforts. We have also enhanced our ability to produce a more durable version of the Lasette, which can be used in both clinical and home-use markets. These production achievements, combined with this important distribution agreement, should allow us to capture a larger portion of the $3.7 billion glucose testing market.

Dr. Lohrding continued, "Moreover, the passage of the federal Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, which mandates that health facilities employ measures to reduce or eliminate accidental needlesticks suffered by health care workers, should further enhance the penetration of the Lasette into the clinical market."

Avi Weiss, Bindley Western's Director of Home Health Care, said, "We are very excited to add Cell Robotic's Lasette to our broad array of diagnostic products for our diabetic customer base. The unique design of Lasette may certainly improve the quality of life for these patients, as it is not as painful as traditional steel lancets and does not cause lingering soreness. As a result, we believe that the Lasette's ease-of-use will encourage patients to test their blood glucose levels more often, thus enhancing each patient's ability to manage their diabetes. Improved management may greatly minimize the serious long-term complications of diabetes such as blindness, amputation of limbs, kidney failure, heart attacks, or strokes."

Diabetes, a chronic disease, is the most costly of all diseases in the U.S. and is the sixth leading cause of death worldwide. The International Diabetes Institute provides the following numbers of people with diabetes by region: 16.9 million in North America, 23.7 million in Europe, 51.2 million in Asia and 12.6 million in Latin America. If left untreated, diabetes can result in serious long-term complications, including blindness, amputation of limbs, kidney failure, heart attacks, or strokes.

Bindley Western, with annualized revenues of $10 billion, is a Fortune 500 company that provides a synergistic array of cost-effective pharmaceutical and supply channel management products and services. On December 4, 2000, Bindley Western and Cardinal Health, Inc. announced that they have agreed to merge by mid-2001. Cardinal Health, Inc. is a leading provider of products and services supporting the health-care industry. Cardinal employs more than 42,000 people on five continents and produces annualized revenues approaching $30 billion.

Cell Robotics International, Inc. is a medical products company striving to enhance patient quality-of-life through technology. Cell Robotics develops, sells and markets technologically unique devices that respond to the rapidly increasing market demand for products that offer more effective, safer, and less painful solutions than conventional procedures. Detailed information about the Lasette(R) and media quality photographs can be found at www.cellrobotics.com or by calling 800-846-0590.

As a cautionary note to investors, certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; the Company's ability to execute its service and product sales plans; and the risks described from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.