STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Aug. 7, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Gambro AB (Other OTC: GAMOF) (Other OTC:GAMBF) (Stockholm:GAMBaST), a leading international medical technology and healthcare company, today announced that Navigant Biotechnologies, Inc., a Denver, U.S.-based and wholly owned subsidiary of Gambro, Inc., has launched its new website: www.navigantbiotech.com. The new site includes links to a comprehensive group of scientific abstracts describing the company's breakthrough Mirasol(TM) Pathogen Reduction Technology (PRT). Mirasol PRT is a proprietary technology intended for use with donated blood components.
User-friendly and easily navigable, the new website enables visitors from blood collection centers, hospitals and blood banks, as well as physicians, patients and the media to quickly identify, link to, and understand research in the field of pathogen reduction. Of particular interest are the site's individual listings and links to studies on pathogen reduction of viruses, bacteria, parasites, leukocytes, and other blood-borne pathogens potentially contaminating the three major blood components: platelets, red blood cells and plasma.
Pages on the new site include company and scientific information, comprehensible explanations about how the technology works, events in which the company is or will be participating, blood safety issues, questions and answers, and contact information. The home page also spotlights and links with national media Websites that carry current news stories.
"Our new website reflects our commitment to lead the global market in the reduction of pathogens in blood using simple, effective and natural technology," said Teresa Ayers, President and CEO. "We are pleased to provide information that we hope all parties interested in transfusion medicine and blood safety will find valuable."
Navigant Biotechnologies' innovative Mirasol PRT uses light and riboflavin to alter the nucleic acids of pathogens in donated blood components, rendering them inactive. It is the first technology to show indications of working in all three major blood components.
The Mirasol PRT approach offers several potential benefits including:
* Anatural compound -- considered essential for human health, riboflavin is non-toxic, non-mutagenic and ingested in normal diets
* Simple -- the process currently does not require removal of residual riboflavin or photoproducts
* Cost effective -- because it is an inherently simple process, overhead costs are minimized.
Navigant Biotechnologies' research scientists also believe the technology could have significant implications in adjacent fields such as cell therapies and the plasma fractionalization industry.
About Navigant Biotechnologies, Inc.
Navigant Biotechnologies, Inc. is developing breakthrough Pathogen Reduction Technology (PRT) -- using only naturally occurring substances -- to improve the safety of transfused blood. Founded in 2002, Navigant Biotechnologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gambro, Inc., is currently testing its patented Mirasol(TM) Pathogen Reduction Technology (PRT) to inactivate viruses, bacteria, parasites, and white blood cells in all three blood components used in transfusions: red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.
Navigant Biotechnologies started as a research and development project within Gambro subsidiary, Gambro BCT, one of the world's leading providers of blood collection technology. The market for effective pathogen reduction technology extends well beyond the blood market and the desire to capitalize on this market potential prompted the decision to establish Navigant Biotechnologies as a separate corporate entity. Navigant will continue its partnership with Gambro BCT into the future with Gambro BCT taking on the role of exclusive worldwide distributor for the platelet product.
For further information on Navigant Biotechnologies, please visit the website: www.navigantbiotech.com or contact:
Jon Weston, Director, Global Marketing, Navigant Biotechnologies, Inc., tel. +1 303-232-6800, jon.weston@navigantbiotech.com Bengt Modeer, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Gambro AB, tel. +46-8-613 65 33, +46-70-513 65 33 Pia Irell, Investor Relations Director, Corporate Finance, Gambro AB, tel. +46-8-613 65 91, +46-70-513 65 91
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