Board Restructuring

Aortech International PLC
01 March 2004

                           AorTech International plc

                                Board Restructuring


AorTech International plc ('the Company') announces changes to its Board of
Directors which take effect today.


As described in its last Interim Report, the Company is now focussed on the
development of its biomaterials business. As this is still an early stage
venture, it was felt that changes to the Board are required to enable the
Company to deal more effectively with the demands and challenges of this
business.


Peter Jeremy Gibson, age 57, previously the CEO and Chairman of the Corin Group
PLC, a major UK manufacturer of orthopaedic implants, is appointed a
Non-Executive Director.  Peter founded Corin in 1985 and managed it through to a
public flotation in 2002 before retiring in 2003. He has significant experience
of the challenges facing early stage companies in the orthopaedic implant
market.


Jon  Peter Pither, age 69, is appointed a Non-Executive Director and brings a
wealth of Board and City institutional experience His knowledge and experience
of the challenges facing quoted small cap companies with emerging technologies
will be particularly valuable at this stage in the development of the Company.


At the same time, Jonathan Brooks and Bill Strachan are resigning as
Non-Executive Directors of the Company.


 Laurie Rostron, Chairman of AorTech commented



'I am delighted to welcome both Peter and Jon to the Board of AorTech.  The
Company has changed considerably over the past twelve months and it is now in
the early stage of its development as an emerging biomaterials business. Four
initial licence agreements for its proprietary biomaterial product Elast-EonTM
have been signed so far. The company is working diligently with these licensees
toward the goal of regulatory approval and commercialisation of devices
utilizing its biomaterials technology and the beginning of royalty income for
AorTech. Discussions are also being held with a number of new potential
licensees and the completion of these negotiations remains a priority. New
application development opportunities continue to emerge and the Board is
encouraged by the progress that the Company is making.


I believe the related experience that Peter and Jon bring to the Board will
help us develop these projects effectively and create value.


I would like to thank both Jonathan and Bill for their significant contribution
to the Company. Both believed that the Board would be better served by
Non-Executive Directors with more experience and knowledge of this type and size
of company.'




ENQUIRIES:

AorTech International plc
Laurie Rostron, Chairman                             Tel: + 44 (0) 1844 343 276

Ian Cameron, Finance Director                        Tel: + 44 (0) 1698 746 699

College Hill                                         Tel: + 44(0)20 7457 2020
Nicholas Nelson/Clare Warren



Save as disclosed below there are no further disclosures to be made in
accordance with Rule 15 and schedule 2(f) of the AIM Rules.



Listed below are the names of the companies with which Peter Gibson has been a
director at any time in the past five years.


Directorships Currently Held                            :   Chiltern Invadex Group Ltd

                                                            Ad Quo Associates Ltd

Former Directorships Held Within Last 5 Years           :   Corin Limited

                                                            Corifix Ltd

                                                            Corin Arthroscopic Products Ltd

                                                            Corin Care Ltd

                                                            Corin Group PLC

                                                            Corin International Ltd

                                                            Corin Medical Ltd

                                                            Corin Orthopaedic Ltd

                                                            Corin Spinal Systems Ltd

                                                            Corin Surgical Ltd

                                                            Corin Trustee Ltd

                                                            Corin USA Ltd

                                                            Corin Medical Implants Ltd

                                                            Corin Holdings Ltd



Listed below are the names of the companies with which Jon Pither has been a
director at any time in the past five years.


Other Directorships Currently Held                      :   Tanfield Group plc

                                                            Corpex Limited

                                                            Gold Mines of Sardinia plc

                                                            Jourdan plc

                                                            Metnor Group plc

                                                            Premier Direct Group plc

                                                            Premier Books UK Limited

                                                            SOC Group plc

                                                            SCO Insurance Fund plc

                                                            Surrey Management Services Limited

                                                            Active Capital Trust plc

                                                            The AiM VCT plc

                                                            The Alumasc Group plc

                                                            Transense Technologies plc

                                                            Ultimate Leisure plc

                                                            Galatial Ace plc

                                                            INS Underwriting 100 Limited

                                                            Lady in Leisure Group plc

Former Directorships Held Within Last 5 Years           :   Equinox International Limited

                                                            Branston Old Rectory (TP) Limited

                                                            Emerald Energy plc

                                                            World Telecom plc

                                                            City Technology Holdings plc

                                                            Sedgwick Oakwood Lloyds

                                                            Underwriting Agents Limited

                                                            Avon Group Holdings Limited

                                                            Avon Holdings Limited

                                                            Fenns Bank Estates Limited

                                                            Eurokit UK Limited

                                                            Corporate Synergy Holdings plc

                                                            Random Number Lottery Limited

                                                            Healthsource Limited

                                                            Barncross Limited

                                                            Soundworth Limited

                                                            Boldappeal Limited

                                                            Sourceunit Limited

                                                            Crossway Marketing Limited

                                                            Ellegance Limited

                                                            Polymetal Limited

                                                            Prestige Travel Limited

                                                            SOC Private Capital plc



Jon Pither became non-executive Chairman of Dolomore Limited ('Dolomore') in
September 1995 at the instigation of the majority shareholders. On 25 March
1996, Dolomore was put into administrative receivership. The directors' sworn
statement of affairs for Dolomore showed an estimated deficiency as regards
holders of unsecured loan notes and sundry creditors of £5,062,470.



Jon Pither was a director of Maison Caurette Holdings Limited ('Maison 
Caurette') which was a non-trading subsidiary of Dolomore. Maison Caurette went
into administrative receivership on 25 March 1996.



Jon Pither became a director of World Telecom plc in July 1994. An
administrative receiver was appointed in December 1999 under powers contained in
a security document dated 7 January 1999 granting fixed and floating charges
over all property and assets of the company in favour of Chase Manhattan Bank.



Jon Pither became a director of Avon Group Holdings Limited and a number of its
trading and non-trading subsidiaries on 1 October 1992. The company was a
private, unquoted company and was placed in administrative receivership in
January 2001 at the instigation of its bankers, Lloyds TSB.



In May 1996, Jon Pither became a non-executive director of Lady in Leisure Group
plc. An administrative receiver was appointed in August 2001 under powers
contained in a security document, granting fixed and floating charges over all
property and assets of the group in favour of Barclays Bank plc.












                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange