PALL DEBUTS NEW SYSTEM TO DETECT PLATELET CONTAMINATION.

Pall Corporation (NYSE: PLL), East Hills, N.Y., has introduced a new Bacteria Detection System (Pall(R) BDS) in Canada to detect bacterial contamination in platelets stored in plasma. Bacterial contamination is the leading infectious threat in transfusion medicine today and one of the primary causes of transfusion-related deaths.

The development of a rapid, sensitive and inexpensive screening method for bacterial detection is complicated by the numerous strains of bacteria that can contaminate platelets and the time required for some strains to proliferate to the point where they can be detected. The new test overcomes these technical hurdles.

"At this time, the presence of bacteria in blood is the most common microbiological cause of transfusion-associated morbidity and mortality," said Morris Blajchman, M.D., head of Hematology, Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University. "Over the past decade, there has been a great deal of research done to reduce the risk of AIDS and hepatitis from a blood transfusion but very little to reduce the risk of transfusion-related bacterial sepsis, a much more common problem by several orders of magnitude."

The Pall(R) BDS uses changes in oxygen concentration as a result of bacterial growth to provide a practical and reliable test. Since bacteria consume oxygen, abnormally low levels of oxygen in a platelet sample indicate the presence of bacteria.

This is how the test works. A small volume of platelet concentrate is filtered into a sample pouch, separating bacteria from other cellular elements of the sample that also consume oxygen. This sample is then incubated with an agent to promote the growth of a wide variety of bacteria species. Oxygen levels are measured and a simple "pass" or "fail" reading is obtained. This results in the ability to detect and discard contaminated platelets while also eliminating the need for specialized training or capital equipment.

"The BDS is unique because it enables hospitals to test platelet samples immediately prior to transfusion," said Gail Rock, Ph.D., M.D., FRCP, Chief of Hematology, Ottawa Hospital. Dr. Rock is currently conducting a study of platelet bacterial contamination, sampling 12,000 individual units of platelets to determine the rate of bacterial contamination. "We have been assessing all units at six and seven days to check the rate of bacterial contamination. Preliminary results indicate that the Pall(R) BDS makes it possible to extend the storage life of platelets from five to seven days without increasing the risk of transfusing a contaminated platelet. This will enable us to ensure a safer product as well as an increased supply."

In Canada, approximately 350,000 units of platelets are used annually. Of these, almost 25 percent are discarded at five-days which can lead to platelet shortages.

The Pall(R) BDS is currently available in Canada and can be ordered from Pall's customer service line at 1-800-465-8555. Pall Corporation recently launched the Pall(R) BDS in the United Kingdom and it will be launched throughout the rest of Europe in early fall. The product is under regulatory review in the United States.

Risk of Bacterial Contamination of Platelets

It is estimated that the bacterial contamination rate ranges from one in 2,000 to one in 3,000, and the risk of a clinical event related to the transfusion of a contaminated unit is approximately one in 50,000. The risk of receiving bacterially contaminated platelets may be 50 to 250 fold higher than the combined risk of transfusion-related infections associated with the viruses HIV, Hepatitis B and C and HTLV-I/II. Despite the seriousness and magnitude of the problem, it is generally agreed that platelet contamination is both under recognized and under reported.

Platelets are vital in modern transfusion medicine, playing a crucial role for leukemia sufferers, patients with bone marrow and other transplants and people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer treatment.

About Pall Corporation

Pall Corporation is the global leader in the rapidly growing fields of filtration, separations and purification. Pall's business is organized around two broad markets: Life Sciences and Industrial. The company provides leading-edge products to meet the demanding needs of customers in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, transfusion medicine, semiconductors, municipal drinking water and aerospace. In addition to developing the Pall(R) BDS, Pall's Medical Division is involved in extensive research and development in many areas of blood safety. It is the worldwide leader in leukocyte reduction filtration technologies for both red blood cells and platelets. Total revenues are $1.3 billion. The company is headquartered in East Hills, New York, and has operations in more than 30 countries.

Further information, visit http://www.pall.com or call 516/801-9104.