Gambro expands into the emerging market for liver support

Stockholm, 21.09. 2004 08:39

Gambro expands into the emerging market for liver support

Gambro acquires the business of Teraklin AG, Germany, and expands its
intensive care business into the extracorporeal treatments for liver
support. The transaction is subject to approval by a creditors'
committee of Teraklin. Teraklin develops, manufactures and markets a
product line for the treatment of acute liver failure. Teraklin's
product line will be integrated into Gambro Renal Products' renal
intensive care business

Gambro acquires the business of Teraklin AG, Germany, and expands its
intensive care business into the extracorporeal treatments for liver
support. The transaction is subject to approval by a creditors'
committee of Teraklin. Teraklin develops, manufactures and markets a
product line for the treatment of acute liver failure. Teraklin's
product line will be integrated into Gambro Renal Products' renal
intensive care business.

The acquisition allows for Gambro to expand into the emerging liver
support market. The acute liver failure market is closely related to
the renal intensive care market, where Gambro today is the worldwide
market leader. The hospitals' intensive care units are the customers
for both Teraklin and Gambro's renal intensive care business.
Teraklin's technology complements Gambro's existing technology. To
treat patients with either acute liver or acute kidney failure,
membranes in combination with a machine are used to purify the blood
outside the body.

"With the product line from Teraklin and Gambro's competence and
worldwide presence in the renal intensive care field, we have an
opportunity to expand into this emerging market," says Jon Risfelt,
the President of Gambro Renal Products. However, it should be clearly
stated that it is a high-risk investment in an emerging market."

Background information about Teraklin and the liver support market
Teraklin was founded in 1998 and has close to 60 employees, primarily
based in Rostock and Hamburg, Germany. Teraklin's revenue in 2003 was
approx. MEUR 5.5. Teraklin has the worldwide leading position in
extracorporeal treatment for acute liver failure. Around 4000
patients with liver failure have been treated with Teraklin's MARS
liver support therapy. The therapy is based on a dialysis principle
to effectively and selectively remove water-soluble and albumin bound
toxins from the blood.

Each year about 6,000 patients with no prior history of liver disease
develop acute liver failure from various causes, including
intoxications (especially acetaminophen), acute viral infection,
multi-organ failure, and as a complication of surgery. In addition,
patients with underlying chronic disease can get an acute clinical
deterioration ("acute on chronic liver failure"). The causes for
chronic liver failure could be viral diseases (including hepatitis B
and C) and alcohol abuse. The total number of patients that could
benefit from the MARS treatment is yet to be defined but an early
estimate is some 70,000 patients per year. The goal of liver support
is to provide time for a patient either to recover congenital liver
function or to prepare for liver transplantation.

Gambro is a global medical technology and healthcare company with
leading positions in renal care - services and products - and blood
component technology. Gambro Healthcare is one of the leading
providers of kidney dialysis services in the world with 55,200
patients in more than 700 clinics worldwide. Gambro Renal Products
develops and supplies hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and acute
dialysis products, therapies and services. Gambro BCT is the market
leader in separation and handling of blood components. The group,
with 2003 revenues of SEK 26.1 billion (USD 3.2 billion), has about
21,200 employees in some 40 countries.

Kontaktinformationen:
Karin Avasalu, Vice President, Corporate Communications,
tel. +46-8-613 65 99, +46-70-513 65 99
Pia Irell, Vice President, Investor Relations, Corporate Finance,
tel. +46-8-613 65 91, +46-70-513 65 91
Maria Långberg, Vice President, GRP Communications,
tel. +46-8-613 65 73, +46-70-513 65 73

Gambro AB
Jakobsgatan 6
PO Box 7373
SE-103 91 Stockholm
Sweden

Phone: +46 8 613 65 00
Fax: +46 8 611 28 30

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