Press Release

Increase of Sales and Results at Eckert & Ziegler AG

(Ad hoc press release)

Berlin, 30.05.00. Neue-Markt listed Eckert & Ziegler AG, a specialist for the provision of miniaturized, low-level radiation sources for the treatment of cancer and cardio-vascular diseases, increased its pretax financial income by approximately 80% to 500,000 EUR and its sales by 50% to 4,200,000 EUR in the first quarter of 2000 in comparison to the last year's quarter. The total operating performance, i.e. the sum of sales, changes in inventories, self constructed assets and other operating income, climbed to 5,300,000 EUR (+ 50%).

The sales growth was driven equally by all divisions with the exception of the cardio-vascular segment (remedies against arteriosclerotic blockage), where the market penetration, due to local licensing delays and despite European regulatory approval, did not materialize as quickly as anticipated. Sales here remained steady by comparison with the prior-year period - (which had, however, been quite strong). On the other hand, sales developments in the segments "Other Medical" and "Oncology" were disproportionately high; that includes especially calibration sources (37%) and cancer remedies (brachytherapy sources and radioactive implants) (18%). In this sector, the elimination of technical bottle-necks and the resulting capacity expansion of the subsidiary, BEBIG Isotopentechnik und Umweltdiagnostik GmbH, Berlin, were notable.

As in the past, Eckert & Ziegler AG in the first quarter of 2000 continued to realize the bulk of its sales, some 60%, from American customers. The strong global position of the American medical appliance industry has made it possible for Eckert & Ziegler AG to invoice products reimported to Europe in U.S. dollars, and thus to profit from the increase in value of this currency vis-à-vis that of the euro.

The Board of Directors