COBE BCT signs distribution and production development agreement on blood filters

COBE BCT signs distribution and production development agreement on blood filters COBE BCT has signed an international distribution and product development agreement on blood filters with the US company HemaSure. The strategic agreement includes a worldwide distribution agreement (excluding the US and China) by which COBE will be the exclusive distributor of HemaSure's existing and future products. HemaSure's Red Blood Cell Filtration System, which was submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration in May 1998, for 510(k) Pre-Market Notification application clearance, is CE marked and will be the first product distributed by COBE. The agreement provides for the development of additional products for distribution by COBE, the first of which is expected to be a filtration device to be used in connection with COBE's automated blood component collection equipment. Stated COBE BCT President Edward C. Wood, "This agreement successfully provides our customers with another high-quality product which they need to continually improve the safety of their blood supply. The market for leukoreduced blood products is growing rapidly throughout the world and this agreement will help us to more strongly capitalize on this trend. The filter products will be a central element in COBE BCT's automated blood collection marketing strategy." COBE BCT, a USD 150 M business unit of Gambro, develops, manufactures, markets and sells automated blood collection equipment and accessories worldwide. During the 1990's, COBE BCT has successfully established itself as the market's leading producer of blood cell separators. With the introduction of TRIMA in October 1997, COBE BCT moved into the large transfusion medicine market, in which all of the blood components needed for transfusions are collected: red blood cells, blood platelets and plasma. HemaSure, based in Marlborough, Massachusetts, develops and delivers innovative filtration technologies designed to help meet the increasing demand for a safer, more reliable blood supply. The Company's blood filtration technologies are designed to reduce virus-carrying leukocytes in donated blood. For further information: Edward C. Wood, President, COBE BCT Inc., phone +1-303-232 6800 Bengt Modéer, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, GAMBRO AB, phone +46-8-613 65 00, +46-70-513 65 33 Gambro is an international medical-technology group with revenues of approximately SEK 18 billion and about 17,000 employees in some 40 countries.