PillCam(R) COLON Shows Substantial Agreement With Gold Standard Colonoscopy in Detection of Ulcerative Colitis

VIENNA, AUSTRIA--(Marketwire - October 20, 2008) - Given Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: GIVN) today announced that interim results of a study presented at the 16th United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) 2008 conference taking place in Vienna, Austria, from October 18 - 22, demonstrated substantial agreement with colonoscopy in the detection of active ulcerative colitis (UC). Active UC is associated with an increased risk of colorectal dysplasia and cancer, and regular surveillance is required(1).

"Patients with ulcerative colitis may be more willing to undergo surveillance using the patient-friendly option offered by PillCam COLON," said J.J.Y. Sung, MD, Chinese University of Hong Kong. "Every step that we can take toward minimizing the impact of colorectal cancer (CRC) is critical. CRC is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the Western world(2) and one of the most preventable forms of cancer(3)."

The interim analysis of 42 patients assessed the accuracy of PillCam COLON capsule endoscopy in detecting inflammatory lesions and UC compared to traditional optical colonoscopy. Patients who were included were 18 - 70 years old and had been referred to optical colonoscopy for suspected or known inflammatory lesions or other colonic disease. Patients underwent a traditional PEG colon prep, ingested the capsule in the morning and consumed additional laxatives thereafter to maintain clean colon and propel the capsule. Following capsule excretion, optical colonoscopy was performed. The physicians who performed colonoscopy and those who analyzed PillCam capsule results were blinded to each other's data.

About Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease, characterized by inflammation of the innermost lining of the colon, which often results in diarrhea and abdominal pain. Loss of appetite, weight loss and fatigue are common. Patients often experience symptoms sporadically, with remission periods spanning months or years.(4)

For more information

The use of PillCam COLON will be highlighted in a breakfast symposium sponsored by Given Imaging on Tuesday, October 21, at the Austria Center Vienna, Hall F1, beginning at 7:00 a.m. "Evaluation of Colon Capsule Endoscopy in the Visualization of the Colon" and "The Role of Colon Capsule Endoscopy in the Detection of Ulcerative Colitis" will be part of the program.

This interim study was partially sponsored by Given Imaging.

About Given Imaging Ltd.

Given Imaging is redefining gastrointestinal diagnosis by developing, producing and marketing innovative, patient-friendly products for detecting gastrointestinal disorders. The company's technology platform is the PillCam® Platform, featuring the PillCam video capsule, a disposable, miniature video camera contained in a capsule, which is ingested by the patient, a sensor array, data recorder and RAPID® software. Given Imaging markets a number of available capsules: the second-generation PillCam SB 2 video capsule to visualize the entire small intestine which is currently marketed in the United States and in more than 60 other countries; the second-generation PillCam ESO 2 video capsule to visualize the esophagus; the Agile™ patency capsule to determine the free passage of the PillCam capsule in the GI tract and the PillCam COLON video capsule to visualize the colon that has been cleared for marketing in the European Union. PillCam COLON has received a CE Mark and various country approvals, but is not cleared for marketing or available for commercial distribution in the USA. More than 750,000 patients worldwide have benefited from the PillCam capsule endoscopy procedure. Given Imaging's headquarters, manufacturing and R&D facilities are located in Yoqneam, Israel. It has operating subsidiary companies in the United States, Germany, France, Japan, Australia and Singapore. Given Imaging's largest shareholders include Elron Electronic Industries (NASDAQ:ELRN) (TELAVIV:ELRN). For more information, visit www.givenimaging.com.

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(1) http://www.emedicine.com/Med/topic2336.htm

(2) http://www.lavoisier.fr/notice/gb608467.html

(3) http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/c/colon.htm

(4) http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/ucp

Contact Information: For further information contact: Fern Lazar/David Carey Lazar Partners Ltd. 1-212-867-1768