Eckert & Ziegler Maintains Growth Projections

Berlin, 06.09.2001. In view of the 40% decline of the Eckert & Ziegler share over the last few days the Board of Directors emphasizes that from the company's perspective there are no changes in the structural framework of the company which would require a correction of the projections. For the year 2001 the medical device company still expects an EBIT of 6.0 Mio EUR and revenues of 30 Mio EUR. This corresponds to an EPS of approximately one EUR.

The mid and longterm existing projections remain unchanged. With regard to the successful product of a competitor in cardio-vascular market, the Board of Directors indicates that the affected segment, the cardio-vascular sources, only contributes less than 10% to the longterm growth projections.

The Board of Directors expects the major growth potential in the following years to be actualized in the region of the prostate implantation market. This market is expected to increase to over 100 Mio EUR by 2004 in Europe. In this segment, Eckert & Ziegler today has a market share of approximately one third and a targeted, steady gain of strategic clinical partners. As recent as yesterday a longterm contract with an internationally known, prestigous clinical center in Spain has been awarded.

In the field of antibody development the Board of Directors stands by their predictions that the investment volume of 3 Mio EUR and the conclusion of clinical phase I studies will be maintained by the year 2004. This confidence is due to the fact that the company is not engaged in new development but is dealing with advanced developed products. Unfortunately, analysts have published differing pronouncements without first consulting the company.

The Board of Directors