Gamma Medica, Inc. and Ideas ASA to Combine Operations and Become Gamma Medica Ideas, Inc.

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. & OSLO, Norway -- Gamma Medica, Inc., the Northridge, Calif. developer and manufacturer of clinical and pre-clinical imaging systems, announced today it will combine operations with Ideas ASA of Oslo, Norway, producer of the most advanced solid-state integrated digital detector electronics and imaging detector subsystems. The new company will be called Gamma Medica Ideas, Inc. (GMI).

Gamma Medica manufactures innovative two dimensional and three-dimensional imaging systems. These systems, which combine x-ray computed tomography with nuclear medicine imaging, are distinguished by their compact, lightweight design and the high-resolution two-dimensional and three-dimensional images they produce.

Gamma Medica CEO Bradley E. Patt, Ph.D., will be President and CEO of the combined companies. He said, "The strategic rationale of the business combination is simple: The two companies aim to merge Ideas' advanced solid-state radiation detection electronics with Gamma Medica's highly-innovative medical imaging equipment, and become the world leader in integrated pre-clinical imaging for medical research and drug development, and in molecular breast imaging for more effective cancer screening."

Thomas Langaard, General Manager of Ideas, will become Chief Operating Officer of GMI. Mr. Langaard said, "The new GMI will have two clear goals: First, we plan to increase our business in Gamma Medica's core markets. Second, we will continue our ongoing efforts in partnership with some of the world's largest companies as we seek to become the leading supplier of modular detectors for the next generation of products used in medical imaging and security and safety imaging."

The companies expect to have their operations fully integrated by the end of the summer. "At the end of this exciting process, we will have streamlined our manufacturing and research operations and will have tremendously strengthened our global presence and market positions," Patt added.

About Gamma Medica

Gamma Medica, Inc., Northridge, Calif., designs, develops and manufactures next-generation imaging systems for both clinical and pre-clinical applications. The company is a worldwide leader in multimodality pre-clinical imaging. Gamma Medica was first to market with MicroSPECT(R), and its X-SPECT(R) system is the market leader in the pre-clinical SPECT category. Gamma Medica's X-PET(TM) system has the highest sensitivity and largest axial field of view among pre-clinical PET systems. The company's X-O(TM) system is a standalone micro-CT instrument that can perform full body scans on a wide range of test subjects in less than a minute, making it one of the fastest such systems in the industry. All three systems share a common gantry and are part of the company's FLEX(TM) platform of pre-clinical imaging systems. Any two systems can be combined in the common gantry, as can all three. Gamma Medica's pre-clinical imaging systems are used by medical researchers and drug companies that use in-vivo imaging techniques and molecular markers to dramatically speed up studies of disease progression and therapy. More information is available at www.gammamedica.com.

About Ideas

Ideas ASA, Oslo, Norway, is the leading provider of integrated front-end electronics to the global nuclear imaging equipment industry. The company develops and produces key electrical components and systems, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), detector modules, and complete camera heads built with solid-state technology. It also supplies customized components containing semiconductor sensors combined with advanced readout electronics. The company's products are used in a variety of industries, including medical imaging, security and safety. Ideas' groundbreaking technology is based on advanced physics research and development originally carried out at CERN -- the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland -- the world's largest particle physics centre. More information is available at www.ideas.no.