SurModics Announces First Human Use of SynBiosys(TM) Biodegradable Polymer on CardioMind...

SurModics Announces First Human Use of SynBiosys(TM) Biodegradable Polymer on CardioMind Drug-Eluting Stent

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.--(Business Wire)--
SurModics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRDX), a leading provider of surface
modification and drug delivery technologies to the healthcare
industry, today announced that the SynBiosys(TM) biodegradable drug
delivery polymer system was incorporated in a first in-human trial
evaluating a new small vessel stent. The stent, developed by
CardioMind, Inc., of Sunnyvale, CA, allows cardiologists to treat
blood vessels with diameters smaller than 2.75 mm. The implant
procedures were performed at St. Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne,
Australia, as part of CardioMind's CARE II clinical trial.

CardioMind's stent, the Sparrow(TM) Drug-Eluting Coronary Stent
System, utilizes a guidewire-sized delivery technology that results in
a crossing profile 70 percent smaller than other currently approved
stents. With a .014" crossing profile, the smaller diameter and
greater flexibility of the Sparrow stent allow cardiologists to treat
small, often tortuous, vessels with less time and trauma than with
conventional stents. Stenting of vessels smaller than 2.75 mm
currently constitutes nearly 40 percent of all such procedures. With
the potential for use in small vessels, the CardioMind stent has the
potential to expand the annual worldwide stent market, currently
estimated at more than $4 billion.

The first clinical implantation of the CardioMind drug-eluting
stent system was performed by Dr. Robert Whitbourn, associate
professor and director of the Cardiovascular Research Centre at St.
Vincent's Hospital, who was also the principal investigator for
CardioMind's CARE I clinical trial.

"The CardioMind Sparrow System represents a promising technology
in interventional cardiology," Whitbourn commented. "The concept of a
true guidewire-delivered stent opens up the possibilities of stenting
in small vessels, branch vessels and other difficult-to-access
vessels. It thus expands the types of lesions in coronary artery
disease that can be treated in more difficult patient populations."

"The first cases in this study are very encouraging," continued
Whitbourn. "All of our implanted patients are doing well, and I am
impressed with the concept and performance of this new stent system."

Charles Maroney, chief executive officer of CardioMind, commented,
"We are extremely pleased to achieve this significant milestone in the
development of our novel Sparrow stent. The abilities to easily access
and accurately deliver the Sparrow Stent under conditions where others
cannot are the key benefits of our technology. CardioMind chose to
partner with SurModics because their innovative technology offerings
and expertise specifically addressed our need to bring a drug-eluting
version of our novel stent to market as quickly as possible. We remain
very pleased to be working with SurModics' experienced technical
professionals in order to meet our shared goals for improved patient
care and success in the interventional cardiology market."

CardioMind previously entered into a license agreement with
SurModics for the use of the SynBiosys biodegradable drug delivery
polymer on its Sparrow Drug-Eluting Coronary Stent System. The
SynBiosys polymer system met the unique low-profile requirements of
CardioMind's stent design. The coating is applied directly to the
Sparrow's bare metal struts without a primer layer and provides drug
elution, polymer degradation and adhesion characteristics desirable in
drug-eluting stent applications.

"We are honored to be supporting CardioMind in its product
development efforts, and congratulate them on their first in-human
cases," said Bruce Barclay, president and chief executive officer of
SurModics. "CardioMind's accomplishment in conducting this first
clinical trial, utilizing our biodegradable polymer technologies also
marks the achievement of one of our company's fiscal 2008 goals, and
we are very proud to play an important role in helping CardioMind
achieve success. Our collaboration with CardioMind is a great example
of how we are diversifying our business within the drug-eluting stent
market. SurModics continues to leverage its strong drug delivery
technology base to not only diversify our revenue streams, but also to
help increase the addressable market for drug-eluting stents."

About SurModics, Inc.

SurModics, Inc. is a leading provider of surface modification and
drug delivery technologies to the healthcare industry. SurModics
partners with the world's foremost medical device, pharmaceutical and
life science companies to develop and commercialize innovative
products that result in improved patient outcomes. Core offerings
include: drug delivery technologies (coatings, microparticles, and
implants); surface modification coating technologies that impart
lubricity, prohealing, and biocompatibility capabilities; and
components for in vitro diagnostic test kits and specialized surfaces
for cell culture and microarrays. Collaborative efforts include a
sustained drug delivery system in human trials for treatment of
retinal disease and the drug delivery polymer matrix on the
first-to-market drug-eluting coronary stent. SurModics is
headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and its Brookwood
Pharmaceuticals subsidiary is located in Birmingham, Alabama. For more
information about the company, visit www.surmodics.com. The content of
SurModics' website is not part of this release or part of any filings
the company makes with the SEC.

About CardioMind

CardioMind is a developer of a unique stent delivery platform that
allows interventionalists to treat very small blood vessels of 2.75 mm
diameter and less. Such vessels, often tortuous, have proven
especially vulnerable to injury from conventional stent delivery
systems. The small crossing profile and flexibility of the CardioMind
platform promise to increase both stent safety and efficacy in such
vessels and to extend the range of vessels in which stents can be
deployed throughout the coronary, neurovascular and peripheral artery
systems.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Statements
that are not historical or current facts, including statements about
beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements cover, among other things, statements
regarding diversifying and increasing SurModics' revenue streams, the
potential importance of the company's SynBiosys biodegradable drug
delivery polymer system and statements regarding the company's
pipeline. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and
uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated, including the following: (1)
realizing the full potential benefits of the company's agreement with
Merck requires the development of new products and applications of
technology; (2) costs or difficulties relating to the integration of
the businesses of Brookwood Pharmaceuticals and BioFX Laboratories
with SurModics' business may be greater than expected and may
adversely affect the company's results of operations and financial
condition; (3) the potential commercial value of the company's
SynBiosys biodegradable drug delivery polymer system may take longer
than anticipated to achieve or may not be achieved in its entirety or
at all; (4) developments in the regulatory environment, as well as
market and economic conditions, may adversely affect the business and
profitability of SurModics and its ability to realize the potential of
its pipeline; and (5) other factors identified under "Risk Factors" in
Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended September 30, 2007, and updated in our subsequent reports filed
with the SEC. These reports are available in the Investors section of
our website at www.surmodics.com and at the SEC website at
www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they
are made, and we undertake no obligation to update them in light of
new information or future events.

SurModics, Inc.
Maggie Knack, 952-829-2700
Director, Investor Relations
or
CardioMind
Charles Maroney, 415-999-8618
CEO

Copyright Business Wire 2008