OXIS DEVICE FOR DETECTION OF ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE CLEARED FOR MARKETING IN THE UNITED STATES; First In A Series Of New Rapid Enzyme-Detection Tests From OXIS.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 1995--OXIS International Inc. (NASDAQ: OXIS) today announced that its 510(k) application to market its product, Beta Lactamase Rapid Enzyme Detection Discs (Beta-L RED Discs), has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Based on OXIS' proprietary compound, cefesone, Beta-L RED Discs detect the production of the beta lactamase enzyme by certain antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause infections. OXIS plans a market launch of the product as early as the fourth quarter of 1995.

"The production of beta lactamase by bacteria is one of the more common mechanisms that can cause certain widely used antibiotics to be ineffective in treating infections," stated Dr. Ann Barker, president and CEO of OXIS. "OXIS' Beta-L RED Discs will allow physicians to make a preliminary antibiotic selection and begin treatment for various infections while awaiting results from conventional antibiotic sensitivity test methods."

Beta-L RED Discs usually detect antibiotic resistance in 15 seconds to one hour, depending on the bacteria, as compared to the 18 to 24 hours required for conventional growth-dependent sensitivity methods. The test can be performed by a hospital's microbiology laboratory or a clinical reference laboratory. According to industry sources, several million beta lactamase screening tests are performed each year. Beta-L RED Discs, the first in a series of screening devices for antibiotic resistance to be introduced by OXIS, uses a compound that changes color in the presence of beta lactamase. The color change indicates the bacteria will be resistant to some penicillin and cephalosporin antibiotics, which are commonly used to treat a variety of bacterial infections.

Beta-L RED Discs have undergone tests in several microbiology laboratories over the last 12 months as part of the product development process. Several noted specialists in the field of microbiology have published reports indicating excellent results with Beta-L RED Discs in detecting the production of beta lactamase by clinical isolates of bacteria. OXIS plans to introduce additional products for antibiotic-resistance screening in the near future.

OXIS International (NASDAQ: OXIS) is a drug development and diagnostic company dedicated to the research and development of antioxidants and free-radical scavengers to diagnose and treat diseases associated with reactive oxygen species. The company, headquartered in Portland, has research facilities in Mountain View, Calif. and near Paris. For additional information, contact the Investor Relations Department of OXIS International at 6040 N. Cutter Circle, Suite 317, Portland, Oregon; phone [phone]; fax [phone].

CONTACT: KVO Public Relations

Will Anderson, 503/221-2351