Gambro announces new Pathogen Inactivation Technology

Gambro announces new Pathogen Inactivation Technology Stockholm, Sweden - Gambro AB (Stockholm Stock Exchange: GAMBaST, GAMBbST), a leading international medical technology and healthcare company, today announced that it is developing a new blood-sterilization technology. Called Pathogen Inactivation (PI) technology, the project focuses on pathogen inactivation in platelets and plasma. About Pathogen Inactivation (PI) technology For the past one and one-half years, Gambro's COBE BCT business unit has been evaluating a blood-sterilization approach using the compound commonly known as riboflavin or vitamin B . Gambro's interest in using riboflavin as a potential 2 blood-sterilizing agent stems from extensive studies on the chemistry of riboflavin conducted over the past 30 years. This research has included studies on the photosensitizing effect of riboflavin on nucleic acids, a common target for pathogen inactivation processes, as well as its metabolism and behavior in vitro and in vivo and the nature of the photo products formed upon its exposure to light. However, prior to Gambro's own studies in this field, riboflavin had never been evaluated as a possible agent for use in the photochemical treatment of blood products. Through its own research and testing program, Gambro has found that riboflavin possesses many of the properties of an "ideal" sensitizer. Generally considered to be non-toxic and non-mutagenic, riboflavin is ingested in large quantities in normal diets. Consequently, it is believed that the public more readily will accept the addition of a vitamin to blood products as opposed to chemicals being developed by others. Riboflavin is also water-soluble but not charged, allowing passive transport across cell membranes, which may harbor intracellular or proviral forms of human pathogens. "Given the already high level of safety of the blood supply, any additional measures that one considers for increasing the safety level further must not, themselves, introduce additional risks," said Ray Goodrich, Ph.D., a Therapy Scientist for Gambro. "Of the many agents currently under consideration for use in the sterilization of blood products, there is no other that comes close to the toxicology safety profile that vitamin B possesses. This makes it a 2 very attractive candidate as an additive for the inactivation of pathogen in units of platelets and plasma." Gambro will host a series of scientific reviews for a select group of blood- bank leaders, scientists and regulators in Europe and the US to discuss this new blood-sterilization technology. At the meetings, Gambro executives and scientists will be joined by other industry leaders to present a review of PI technology, chemistry and toxicology; share PI data and results; and facilitate an open discussion, inviting questions and comments on the technology from attendees. Gambro plans to continue its research into this technology and hopes to use input from these scientific reviews to help guide its future efforts. For more information on PI technology or Gambro, call Ed Wood, President of COBE BCT, tel. +1-303-232-6800. For information on Gambro: Bengt Modéer, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, tel. +46-8-613 65 00 or +46-70-513 65 33. Information also at www.cobe.com and www.gambro.com Gambro is a global medical technology and healthcare company with leading positions in renal care - services and products - and blood component technology (BCT). Gambro is one of the leading providers of kidney dialysis services in the world. Gambro treats about 43,200 patients in 581 clinics worldwide. Renal care products comprise dialyzers, dialysis machines, blood lines and dialysis concentrates. BCT includes products for the separation and handling of blood components. The group, with revenue of approximately SEK 18 billion (USD 2.2 billion), has approximately 17,000 employees in some 40 countries. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/10/22/19991022BIT00170/bit0001.pdf http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/10/22/19991022BIT00170/bit0002.doc