Cook Pharmica LLC Reaches 100th Employee Milestone; Starts Technical Internship Program To Develop Future Employees.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Cook Pharmica LLC, the contract biopharmaceutical manufacturing division of Cook Group, Inc. is halfway to its initial employment goal of 200 well ahead of schedule. August 7 marks the start date of Cook Pharmica's 100th employee at its highly sophisticated Bloomington manufacturing facility.

"We are ahead of schedule in our hiring projections and have been very fortunate in attracting talent with strong educational credentials and experience in the biotech industry," says Jerry Arthur, president of Cook Pharmica LLC. "Cook Pharmica is proud to have honored its commitment to the community by providing job opportunities for the local talent pool."

Announced by Cook Group in April of 2004, Cook Pharmica made a promise to the local community to employ around 200 people when the facility is running at full capacity. The organization will develop and manufacture mammalian cell culture-based biopharmaceuticals for both clinical and commercial uses. For more information, visit www.cookpharmica.com.

In addition, Cook Pharmica has joined with Indiana University and Ivy Tech to form a biotech internship program. This program has lead to the full time employment of two former interns. More employment success is expected through Cook's community partnership in a recent $1.25M Strategic Skills Initiative grant from Governor Mitch Daniels and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development for the development of the Indiana Life Sciences Education and Training Institute. Located in Monroe County, the Institute will provide skills training for high wage, high growth life sciences jobs in the region.

"We are very encouraged by the complimentary feedback our employees have received during client visits and other industry interaction. These employees will play an integral role in the promising future of Cook Pharmica," adds Arthur.

About COOK:

The world's largest privately held manufacturer of medical devices with international headquarters in Bloomington, Ind., COOK(R) (www.cookmedical.com) is a leading designer, manufacturer and global distributor of minimally invasive medical device technology for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Since its founding in 1963, Cook has created innovative technologies for drug-eluting and bare metal stents, aortic and vascular endografts, catheters, wire guides, introducer needles and sheaths, embolization coils, medical biomaterials and contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, vena cava filters and other minimally invasive medical devices for radiology, cardiology, urology and OB/GYN, critical care medicine, surgery, gastroenterology, bone access and endovascular therapies.