Distribution partnerships with two US companies

Kleinostheim, February 5, 2003 - curasan AG (WKN 549 453), a German biomedical company listed within the Prime Standard segment, has signed agreements with the two US-based companies CryoLife Inc., Kennesaw/USA, and Spinal Concepts Inc., Austin/USA. The agreements cover the distribution of Cerasorb Ortho within the medical field of orthopaedics. They contain exclusive sales rights for the synthetic, fully resorbable bone regeneration material Cerasorb Ortho within the respective areas of medical indication.

As Cerasorb can be deployed throughout the entire skeletal system, it was particularly important to find experienced partners with a proven marketing track record in the field of regenerative medicine, thus guaranteeing rapid market penetration. In CryoLife and Spinal Concepts, curasan has found two companies that are capable of covering the entire US orthopaedics market.

Additional sales partners, e.g. for the segment of dental surgery, are to be recruited in the course of this year.

Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CRY), CryoLife Inc., Kennesaw (Georgia/USA), is a leader in the processing and distribution of implantable living human tissues for use in surgeries throughout the United States and Canada. Employing around 350 people, it generated revenues of more than US$87 million in 2001. The five-year contract encompasses the exclusive sales rights for all orthopaedic applications not associated with the spinal column, such as traumatology and sports medicine.

The privately held medical company Spinal Concepts, based in Austin (Texas/USA), specialises in spinal implant products. As a technology leader it has more than 30 patents within this segment. Boasting 44 independent sales organisations and 180 field representatives, Spinal Concepts has achieved outstanding results in recent years. The agreement signed with Spinal Concepts also covers a period of five years and gives the company exclusive sales rights for Cerasorb Ortho within the area of spinal surgery.

"Curasan's entry into the US market is an important element of our international growth strategy," says Hans Dieter Roessler, CEO of curasan AG. "We look forward to working with CryoLife and Spinal Concepts, particularly as both companies have the expertise and market access required to turn Cerasorb Ortho into a leading product within the US market."

"Orthopaedic reconstructive surgery is one of the fastest growing areas of medicine in the US, and we believe Cerasorb Ortho offers superior functionality for patients in need of surgery," says Steven G. Anderson, President and CEO of CryoLife. He continues: "With its unique regenerative properties, it will complement our overall product focus on regenerative medicine and our strategy to grow our sports medicine business and expand our orthopaedics offerings."

"The launch of the resorbable Cerasorb Ortho bone graft substitute demonstrates our continued commitment to core segments of spinal fixation that provide benefits for surgeons and their patients," says Jeffrey R. Binder, President and CEO of Spinal Concepts. "Innovative and effective bone graft substitutes are a growing sector of the spinal market, with an estimated market potential of US$140 million that is growing by approximately 10% per year."

Both companies will be presenting Cerasorb Ortho to their respective target groups today at the American Association of Orthopedic Surgery (AAOS) meeting in New Orleans.

About curasan AG:
curasan AG (WKN 549 453), an exchange-listed company, is a leading innovator within the growth market of bone and tissue regeneration. While the Pharmaceuticals segment secures above-average growth within curasan's core business, the true potential of the company lies in the dynamically growing area of Biomaterials, particularly with regard to the synthetic bone regeneration material Cerasorb®. curasan AG's main goal is to occupy a leading position as a global specialist in regenerative medicine. For further information, please visit curasan's corporate website at: www.curasan.de

About CryoLife Inc.:
Founded in 1984, CryoLife, Inc. (WKN: 900 006), based in Kennesaw, Georgia, is a leader in the processing and distribution of implantable living human tissues for the use in surgeries throughout the United States and Canada. CryoLife's BioGlue is a surgical adhesive for use in open surgical repair of large vessels. BioGlue® is approved in several countries. CryoLife also manufactures SynerGraft®, the world's first tissue-engineered vascular replacement. For further information, please visit CryoLife's corporate website at: www.cryolife.com

About Spinal Concepts Inc.:
Spinal Concepts is a privately held medical company based in Austin, Texas. It is dedicated to providing the surgical community with safe, technologically advanced spinal implant products used in the treatment of spinal disorders, diseases, and injuries. The company's broad array of spinal implant products includes state-of-the-art devices for the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments. For further information, please visit Spinal Concepts' corporate website at: www.spinalconcepts.com

Top of page Print page