REPEL-CV approved for cardiac surgeries

SyntheMed, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SYMD), a biomaterials company engaged in the development and commercialization of anti-adhesion products, announced today that REPEL-CV, the company's bioresorbable adhesion barrier film for the reduction of adhesions following cardiac surgery, has received approval from the Brazilian Ministry of Health for use in all patients who undergo open-heart surgery. REPEL-CV will be marketed throughout Brazil by Labcor Laboratorios Ltda., the leading manufacturer and marketer of prosthetic heart valves in Brazil. Gustavo Junqueira, Labcor's VP International Markets, stated, "We view REPEL-CV as a unique product opportunity and are enthused about the potential benefits it offers for the 48,000 patients per year who have open-heart surgery in our country."

REPEL-CV has CE Mark approval for use in all cardiac sucrgery patients and is marketed in the European Union and certain other international countries through a network of independent distributors. It is FDA approved for use in pediatric cardiac surgery patients and is marketed in the United States through a direct sales force.