Press Release

FDA Approves Cardio-vascular Brachytherapy of Eckert & Ziegler AG

(Ad hoc press release)

Berlin, 07.11.2000. Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG, a specialist for radioactive sealed sources, has reached an important milestone for its cardio-vascular business division. In the past few days two of the corporation's customers, the American Novoste Corporation (Atlanta) and the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Cordis Inc. (Florida), have received approval from the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market devices for the prevention of arterial constriction. The key components of both devices are low-radiation sources developed and produced by Eckert & Ziegler AG. This new therapy has only been known for just a few years. The FDA's decision confirms the results of numerous clinical tests in which the feared reconstriction of arteries following angioplasty can be easily and effectively avoided through radiation treatment using a miniature probe. This opens up the opportunity for lasting treatment of heart problems for hundreds of thousands of patients. This procedure was approved in Europe a few months ago. Still, the American market is considered the real key market because of its size and receptiveness for medical innovations. Due to these excellent clinical results, industry experts consider the cardiovascular brachytherapy field to grow to a volume of up to US$ 1.5 billion in the coming years. Eckert & Ziegler AG is the world's leading provider of miniaturized, low-radiation components within this branch.

The Board of Directors