Aspect Medical Systems Announces Opening of

International Headquarters In Leiden, The Netherlands / Developerof Bispectral Index Technology Expands Global Reach AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands (PROTEXT) - In conjunction with theannual European Society of Anaesthesiologists (ESA) meeting thisweek, Nassib Chamoun, president and CEO of Aspect MedicalSystems, Inc. (Natick, Mass., U.S.A.), announced the recentopening of the company's international headquarters in Leiden,The Netherlands. The international division, responsible for sales outside ofNorth America, is headed by Vice President and Managing DirectorHelgert van Raamt, who oversees sales, distribution, and clinicalsupport functions for Aspect's Bispectral Index(TM) (BIS(TM))technology - a direct measure of the effects of anesthesia on thebrain. Van Raamt previously served in a similar role at NellcorPuritan Bennett, later Mallinckrodt Respiratory, where he helpedto develop and was responsible for managing the company's $285-million European business. Under his leadership, the divisiongrew substantially to approximately 30 percent of theMallinckrodt Respiratory global business. Boudewijn L.P.M. Bollen, who previously served as president ofthe international division during its start-up phase, is now amember of the company's board of directors and an advisor oninternational business development strategy. According to Chamoun, the headquarters was established inresponse to an increased demand for Aspect's productsinternationally, and is an integral step in expanding marketacceptance of the BIS monitor outside of North America."Healthcare facilities across the United States are adopting theBIS monitor at an accelerated rate because it helps them toimprove the quality of care while reducing costs," Chamoun said."The international division is focused on bringing the benefitsof the BIS monitor to the rest of the world. We are committed toaddressing the needs of the local markets to help replicate oursuccess in the United States." Aspect's initial international business development strategyis focused on building awareness of and credibility for thetechnology via a two-pronged approach: establishing a network ofOEM and distribution partners to quickly penetrate the market,and growing and maintaining a network of clinical reference sitesto further enhance market acceptance of the BIS monitor. As inthe United States, the international division will maintain thehigh level of post-sale clinical support that is an Aspecttrademark. "In many ways, our international marketing, sales, and supportstrategy mirrors that of Aspect's successful model in the UnitedStates, which has resulted in routine use of the BIS monitor inmany facilities," van Raamt said. "While routine use is also ourgoal in the international market, a key strategic difference isthat instead of building a direct sales force, we are developinga network of distributors to leverage local relationships andsales protocols. In addition, we are outsourcing warehousing andadministrative functions to control overhead and allow us tofocus on core competencies of marketing, sales management, andclinical support." Worldwide, Aspect has installed approximately 3,000 monitorsutilizing BIS technology, which collectively have monitored morethan 500,000 patients since late-1996. At the ESA meeting (May 29- June 1), approximately 15 abstracts highlight current andfuture applications of BIS technology. To date, more than 250scientific publications from trials involving over 5,000 patientsdocument the efficacy and clinical outcome benefits of BISmonitoring. A significant number of these trials were conductedinternationally by independent investigators. About BIS Monitoring Developed in collaboration with leading anesthesiologists, BIStechnology uses a patented, processed EEG parameter to provide anoninvasive, direct means of measuring the effects of anestheticson the brain. The technology enables anesthesia providers toeasily track a patient's level of consciousness and administerthe appropriate amount of anesthesia for each patient, leading toreduced drug use, faster and more predictable patient wake-uptimes after surgery, and improved patient recovery fromanesthesia. BIS monitors use a sensor placed on the forehead tocapture the EEG signals, which are translated into a singlenumber ranging from 100 (for wide awake) to zero (indicating theabsence of brain electrical activity). BIS technology is available in Aspect's A-2000(TM) BIS monitorand has been licensed for integration into monitoring systemsmanufactured by other patient monitoring companies, includingDraeger Medical Group, a division of Draegerwerk AG (Luebeck,Germany), Nihon Kohden Corp. (Tokyo, Japan), and SpacelabsMedical, Inc. (Redmond, Wash., U.S.A.). About Aspect Medical Systems Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. is a privately held medicaltechnology company that develops noninvasive monitoring systemsto improve the cost effectiveness and quality of patient care.The company's systems utilize innovative, patented, digitalsignal processing software linked to proprietary sensors. Formore information, visit the company's Web site athttp://www.aspectms.com. Bispectral Index, BIS, and A-2000 are trademarks of AspectMedical Systems, Inc. ots Original Text Service: Aspect MedicalSystems Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: LorieFiber/Joni Morford of Fischer & Partners, Inc., 310-577-7870,ext. 109/152, lfiber@fischerpr.com, jmorford@fischerpr.com Website: http://www.aspectms.com

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