Change in Strategic Direction

Aortech International PLC
06 January 2003

                           AORTECH INTERNATIONAL PLC

                         Change in Strategic Direction

AorTech International plc announces a significant change to its strategic
direction.



The Board of Directors has concluded that future shareholder value lies within
the Company's intellectual property portfolio which has recently been rigorously
appraised. The Board has decided to concentrate future activity on the Company's
biomaterials business and its research and development programme for the polymer
heart valve. In both cases, the Board believes that AorTech's technology is
unique and offers real opportunity for commercial exploitation.



The impact on commercial operations of this strategic change will be as follows:



Heart Valves



The Company is at an advanced stage of negotiation to sell its commercial heart
valve business, comprising both mechanical and tissue valves. It is expected
that a further announcement confirming the terms of such a sale will be made
very shortly.



Critical Care



The speed of uptake of the TruCCOMS Continuous Cardiac Output Monitoring System
has been insufficient to justify continued investment in the technology. In view
of the need for additional investment to fully develop the product, the Board
has decided reluctantly to cease research and all commercial activity with
immediate effect, and to seek a buyer or a partner for the intellectual property
and the marketing rights.



During the past six months, a number of steps have been taken to streamline the
business in preparation for the changes announced today.  These are the
culmination of a planned strategy to reshape the Company.



                                                                6th January 2003


ENQUIRIES:

AorTech International plc                  Tel: [phone]
Bill Strachan, Chief Executive

Ian Cameron, Finance Director

College Hill                               Tel: [phone]
Nicholas Nelson
Clare Warren




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