Skandigen's sale of shares in SIBIA is carried through

Skandigen's sale of shares in SIBIA is carried through Merck & Co., Inc. has, via its wholly owned subsidiary MC Subsidiary Corp., completed the bid on SIBIA Neurosciences, Inc., which was announced August the 2nd. The bid of 8.5 USD cash per share was among other things on condition that Merck would acquire a majority of the shares. This condition was ful- filled at the end of the application period. Skandigen's holding was 986 696 shares, corresponding to approximately 10 per- cent of the outstanding shares. The sale brought in 69.3 MSEK and realized earnings amounted to 21.5 MSEK. Stockholm, September 16, 1999 INDUSTRIFÖRVALTNINGS AB SKANDIGEN (publ) For further information, please contact: Patrik Tigerschiöld, president, telephone: +46-8-614 00 20, cell: +46-70-777 71 90, e-mail: pa- trik.tigerschiold@skandigen.se Skandigen is a development company with ownership interests mainly in Swedish unlisted companies. The business concept is to develop, through active owner- ship, growth companies or companies with growth potential. The aim is to in- crease the company´s value and thereby providing shareholders with the oppor- tunity of favorable long-term growth. The portfolio comprises some twenty holdings structured in three business areas: Technology, Biotechnology and Services & Trade. The core holdings are in Arkivator (14 %), Axis (18 %), CMA Microdialysis (56 %), Fermentech Medical (97 %), MYDATA (33 %), PartnerTech (15 %) and Vellinge Electronics (37%). Skandigen is listed on the O list at OM Stockholm Exchange. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/09/16/19990916BIT00600/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/09/16/19990916BIT00600/bit0002.pdf