Download For Immediate Release

ABBOTT AND AXIS-SHIELD ANNOUNCE US CLEARANCE FOR AXSYM BNP TEST FOR
HEART FAILURE
- Elevated Levels of B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) are Associated with Cardiac Dysfunction and
the Severity of Heart Failure Dundee, Scotland, and Abbott Park, Illinois, 3 February 2004 – Axis-Shield plc (LSE, OSE: ASD) and
Abbott Laboratories today announce that Axis-Shield has received clearance from the US Food and
Drug Administration for a B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) test for use on Abbott's AxSYM®
automated immunoassay instrument system. BNP is a cardiac marker used in the diagnosis of heart
failure and assessment of its severity.
It is expected that the AxSYM BNP test will be available in the United States later this month. In
November, Abbott introduced the test in major markets outside the United States and Japan.
Joseph M Nemmers, senior vice president, Diagnostics Operations, Abbott Laboratories, said:
"We are delighted that an automated BNP test will now be available to hospitals and clinical
laboratories in the United States who use Abbott's AxSYM instrument system. With AxSYM BNP,
physicians will have another important cardiac test to improve patient care."
BNP is a cardiac hormone secreted from the cardiac myocytes (muscle cells) as a response to increased
blood pressure and volume overload. Levels of BNP have been shown to be elevated in patients with
early signs of cardiac dysfunction and overt heart failure. BNP levels also can be used to assess the
severity of heart failure, as demonstrated by the correlation with New York Heart Association
classifications.
Michael S Parmacek, chief of cardiovascular medicine, University of Pennsylvania, commented:
"I find that BNP measurement greatly facilitates the clinical care of heart failure patients because it
provides a quantitative and validated metric of disease severity."
Svein Lien, Chief Executive Officer of Axis-Shield, said:
"BNP represents another important marker that Axis-Shield is providing for Abbott’s widely- placed
AxSYM system. This increasingly requested test, together with homocysteine, which is also associated
with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, will help physicians make accurate clinical decisions in
this major disease area.”
Enquiries
Axis-Shield plc
Paul Garvey, Finance Director
Svein Lien, CEO
Tel: +44 1382 422000
Tel: +47 22 700616
Financial Dynamics
David Yates / Sarah MacLeod
Tel: +44 207 831 3113
Notes to Editors
About Heart Failure
Heart failure is a syndrome caused by a variety of conditions such as coronary artery disease,
hypertension, valve disease, myocarditis and others. Common symptoms of heart failure include
shortness of breath, coughing under exertion, swelling of arms and legs, and dizziness. Heart failure is
better defined as the progressive inability of the heart ventricles to pump blood out to the lungs and/or
the extremities. According to the American Heart Association, there are approximately five million
cases of heart failure in the United States alone, with 550,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
About Abbott
Abbott Laboratories is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery,
development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals, nutritionals, and medical products,
including devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 70,000 people and markets its
products in more than 130 countries. Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the
company's Web site at www.abbott.com.
About Axis-Shield
Axis-Shield is global manufacturer of in vitro diagnostic kits with a focus on new markers in
cardiovascular, rheumatoid, infectious and alcohol-related diseases, diabetes, dementia and near patient
testing to facilitate improved patient management. Axis-Shield has partnered with Abbott to introduce
several new tests on both the IMx® and AxSYM® systems, Abbott's market-leading automated
immunoassay analyzers. News releases and company information are available at www.axisshield.com.