Vitrolife receives FDA marketing approval of EmbryoGlue -- a Breakthrough in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology)


STOCKHOLM, Sweden, July 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Vitrolife's application for market clearance, 510(k), for EmbryoGlue(R) developed in close collaboration with Dr. David K Gardner and his research team at the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine in the USA.

EmbryoGlue(R) is an implantation promoting medium for transfer of embryos back into the woman, with physical properties more similar to the uterine secretion, and will therefore assist the embryo during the implantation process. Therefore, by using EmbryoGlue(R), IVF clinics will have a new possibility to improve IVF treatment outcome by increasing the implantation rate, i.e. the chance of an embryo implanting in the uterus and developing into a pregnancy.

"The key ingredient in EmbryoGlue(R) is hyaluronan, which is a natural molecule abundant in the female reproductive tract. Vitrolife uses non- animal, non-human derived hyaluronan in line with its goal of providing innovative, state-of-the-art media products with superior quality, safety and efficacy," said Dr. Peter Svalander, R&D Director.

Vitrolife launched the G-III Seriestm - Closer to Nature culture media in 2002, to optimize embryo culture conditions. Although considerable progress has been made in our ability to culture the human embryo, there has been relatively little research on the role and composition of the embryo transfer medium -- until now. By developing EmbryoGlue(R) in close collaboration with Dr. David K Gardner and his research team at the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine in the USA, Vitrolife has taken one step further, by looking closer at the role of the transfer medium.


 Vitrolife AB (publ)
 For further information, please contact;
 Acting CEO: Dr. Magnus Nilsson   CFO, Margareta Fischer
 Tel: +46 31 721 80 00            Tel: +46 31 721 80 13
 Mobile +46 708 22 80 61          Mobile: +46 708 22 80 13
 mnilsson@vitrolife.com           mfischer@vitrolife.com

Vitrolife is a global biomedical corporation that works with products for cell and tissue technology. The Vitrolife group consists of the parent company, Vitrolife AB (Publ) and four wholly owned subsidiaries: Vitrolife Sweden AB (Gothenburg, Sweden), Vitrolife Inc. (Denver, Colorado), A-Life Ltd. (Edinburgh, Scotland), and A-Life Inc. (Newport Beach, California). The group's operations focused on three geographic areas. Europe/Middle East . North America . Rest of the World

Vitrolife's business concept is to develop, produce and sell advanced products and systems for the preparation, cultivation, preservation and support of cells, tissues and organs.

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