CryoLife, Inc. (NYSE: CRY), an implantable biological medical device and cardiovascular tissue processing company, announced today that it has withdrawn its $2.00 per share proposal to acquire Medafor, Inc. CryoLife previously notified the Medafor board of its intention to withdraw its offer in five business days. Based on the limited information that Medafor has made available to its shareholders, CryoLife continues to believe that the Medafor board's stated strategic rationale for entering into the Magle transaction does not justify the significant dilution suffered by Medafor shareholders.
"It is clear by the recent actions of Medafor's board and management team that they are committed to entrenchment, even if it means further dilution and the destruction of shareholder value," said Steven G. Anderson, CryoLife's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "We continue to believe that Medafor is mismanaged and in poor financial condition. As Medafor's largest shareholder, we are deeply concerned by Medafor's recent statement that it currently holds only $1,000,000 in cash. We believe that Medafor's limited capital is wholly insufficient to sustain the company's growth and defend its intellectual property. Although we are withdrawing our offer, we intend to pursue all actions necessary to preserve the value of our investment."
"We encourage existing Medafor shareholders to continue to reach out to Medafor's board and management team and voice their concerns. Based on our recent conversations with fellow Medafor shareholders, we believe many shareholders share our frustrations with Medafor's actions and have deep concerns about the future of the company under its existing leadership," concluded Anderson.
Medafor shareholders may continue to visit www.cryolife.com/medaforoffer for additional information about CryoLife and its thoughts on the appropriateness and effectiveness of Medafor's management's actions and the company's performance and outlook.