Nova Biomedical has developed an innovative blood glucose monitoring and diabetes management system that is fast, accurate and consumes the lowest blood volume of any competitive device. Nova has partnered with industry leaders Becton Dickinson, Eli Lilly, and Medtronic MiniMed to market these products under the brand names BD-Logicú Blood Glucose Monitor and BD-Latitudeú Diabetes Management System.

On January 8, 2003, Becton-Dickinson issued the following press release to announce that these products had received FDA clearance and are available for sale in the United States. The BD-Logic Blood Glucose Monitor and BD-Latitudeú  Diabetes Management System will be sold through medical practices and leading drug store chains worldwide.

BD Presents New Blood Glucose Monitoring Products to Make Diabetes Monitoring and Management Easier, Faster, and Less Painful
Franklin Lakes, NJ, Wednesday, January  08, 2003 -- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE:BDX), the leading provider of insulin delivery systems, has announced today the U.S. availability of two new FDA-cleared blood glucose monitoring products designed to help improve diabetes management. The BD Logicú Blood Glucose Monitor and the BD Latitudeú Diabetes Management System combine the thinnest lancets available with test strips that require a very small amount of blood and deliver accurate readings in a fast amount of time - only five seconds. No other device offers all of these features in one system.

"Diabetes remains one of the most prevalent health issues in America," said Edward J. Ludwig, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of BD. "Of the 17 million Americans with diabetes, 11 million have been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and approximately 6 million still remain undiagnosed. At BD, we are committed to developing products and systems such as the BD Logicú and BD Latitudeú monitors that will help improve diabetes management and the quality of life for those who have this disease."

People with diabetes understand the unique challenges of monitoring blood glucose levels. For those who must monitor daily, or even several times a day, the process can be painful and time-consuming. However, accurately and consistently monitoring blood glucose levels is essential to managing the disease and can help prevent such complications as heart and kidney disease, blindness, stroke and amputations.

"These new monitors represent a breakthrough in diabetes care," said Dr. Robin S. Goland, director of the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. "We see many people with diabetes who need to monitor six or more times a day, and this innovation will offer them fast, accurate readings and greater convenience with less pain and less blood."

People with diabetes find that the BD Logic Blood Glucose Monitor significantly reduces lancing pain by utilizing BD Ultra-Fineú 33 Lancets, as compared to the standard 28-gauge version. Accurate results are achieved in only 5 seconds, and with a very small .amount of blood - .3 muL - less than a third of most other tests.

In addition, the blood glucose monitors display current readings and have memory capacities of up to 250 blood glucose and 250 insulin records at one time, enabling people with diabetes to maintain accurate monitoring without significant interruption to busy and active lifestyles. "These new monitoring devices can help ensure that 'peaks and valleys' are avoided, thus allowing people with diabetes and their doctors to monitor patterns most effectively and achieve compliance," stated Dr. Goland. 

The BD Latitude Diabetes Management System is an all-in-one device that combines this new and efficient blood glucose monitor with an organizer that holds all the necessary supplies for testing and insulin injection.

For more than five decades, BD has been the development leader of insulin delivery systems that help enhance injection comfort, making therapy easier and helping to improve lifestyles for people with diabetes.

For more information about diabetes and its treatment, talk to your healthcare provider. To learn more about the BD Logic Blood Glucose Monitor and the BD Latitude Diabetes Management System, visit www.bddiabetes.com.

BD is a medical technology company that serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. BD manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2002, BD reported total revenues of $4.033 billion.

For Further Information Contact:
Jeffrey A. DuBois, Ph.D.
V.P.  Business Development

Nova Biomedical
200 Prospect Street
Waltham, MA 02454, USA
Tel: 781-647-3700 Ext. 523
Fax: 781-894-5915
Email: jdubois@novabio.com