TSL.L Regulatory News (TSL)

21 Mar 2006 07:01

Tissue Science Laboratories PLC21 March 2006 21 March 2006 Tissue Science Laboratories plc ("TSL" or "the Company) Tissue Science Laboratories Signs Agreement with Canadian Hospital Specialties General surgery specialist to distribute TSL's Permacol(R) tissue repair product throughout Canada Tissue Science Laboratories plc (TSL), the medical devices company specialisingin human tissue replacement and repair products, and Canadian HospitalSpecialties ltd, (CHS), a leading national specialty distributor of surgical andmedical supplies, are pleased to announce a distribution agreement for theintroduction of Permacol(R) surgical implant products in general surgery/herniafor Canada. Permacol(R) Surgical Implant is a collagen/elastin sheet derived from porcinedermis. It is a biomaterial which has a diverse range of surgical applicationsand is especially suited to reinforcing soft tissue where weakness exists andfor the surgical repair of ruptured or damaged soft tissue. In general surgery,it is specifically indicated for the repair of abdominal wall defects andcomplex or recurrent hernias. CHS has its headquarters in Oakville, Ontario, and has built a reputation forproviding a valuable, cost effective bridge between manufacturers and theCanadian healthcare system. For almost 40 years, the CHS staff has specialisedin a limited number of exclusive lines in the fields of gastrointestinalsurgery, urology, critical care and cardiovascular, and focused on the effectiveclinical education of the customer in using its products. John Brannigan, International Vice President of Sales and Marketing of TSL,said: "Working with CHS will open a new geographical channel for our general surgery/hernia business - a key driver for TSL going forward. The use of biomaterials inthe field of general surgery and complex/recurrent hernia is expected to growrapidly over the next five years, and therefore getting our direct sales teamand distributors in place in the US and Canada is an essential part to ourambitious growth strategy. "Our new partner, CHS, has the ability and resources to reach a market that webelieve is in excess of c.US$70m and which has had limited exposure to this typeof product in the efforts to improve patient outcomes, therefore this is a goodopportunity for us." David Enns, President of Canadian Hospital Specialties, added: "General surgery is a strong sales areas for us and therefore, we are delightedto be working with TSL to become its exclusive distributor in Canada forPermacol(R) in this rapidly growing area. We believe that Canadian surgeons havebeen watching the development of biological materials to repair complex herniasin both the United States and Europe and want to be able to offer such optionsto their patients. With such a strong product in our portfolio, the CHS trainedstaff will be able to help surgeons meet these challenges." Tissue Science has North American offices in Andover, Massachusetts and Atlanta,Georgia. Permacol(R) products for general surgery have been approved by theCanadian regulatory body and are ready for sale in the market. -Ends- For more information please contact: Tissue Science Laboratories plc Canadian Hospital Specialties LtdJohn Brannigan, Itl VP Sales & Marketing David Enns, PresidentTel: +1 678 342 7808 Tel: +1 905 825 9300Email: information@tissuescience.com www.chsltd.comWebsite: www.tissuescience.com Media EnquiriesHogarth PRMelanie Toyne-SewellTel: +44 207 357 9477Email: Mtoyne-sewell@hogarthpr.co.uk Notes to Editors Background on TSL Founded in 1995, with headquarters in Aldershot, Hampshire, TSL is a medicaltechnology company specialising in tissue repair and replacement with aproprietary sheet product, derived from porcine dermis, called Permacol(R). TSLhas launched successfully different formulations of the product and built adevelopment pipeline that addresses the large and fast growing surgical implantmarket. The Company floated in November 2001 and is listed on the AlternativeInvestment Market (LSE: TSL). TSL has a family of products based on the same core technology. Each producthas been adapted, with unique properties, to make it suitable for use indifferent applications, including urology/gynaecology, complex and recurrenthernia repair, shoulder rotator cuff repair and head and face repair andreconstruction. The Company has signed distribution agreements with CR Bard Inc(urology/gynaecology - worldwide), Zimmer Inc (orthopaedic - worldwide) andPorex Surgical Inc (head and face - US and Canada). Further variations of thesheet and injectable forms of Permacol(R) are being developed. For moreinformation on TSL, please visit the website at www.tissuescience.com. Background on Canadian Hospital Specialties CHS is a national specialty distributor of surgical and medical supplies and itcarries a limited number of exclusive lines and focuses on selling, clinicaleducation and servicing customers. The Company's territory managers have strong,long-term ties to their respective customers, which gives them an intimateknowledge of each account and it has sales reps (with Canada-wide reach). Contact points within hospitals include Anesthesia, OR, ICU, NICU, Emergency,Respiratory, GI, CSR/SPD, Diagnostic Imaging, and Materials Management. CHS alsosupports an extensive network of over 300 active alternate care dealers andpharmacies throughout Canada to service the fast growing home care market. Formore information about CHS, please visit the website at http://www.chsltd.com. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange