Director Shareholding

Aortech International PLC
17 July 2003


AorTech International plc ('the Company') announces that Frank Maguire,
Director, has been granted options to purchase 250,000 Ordinary Shares in the
Company at a price of 16.5p per share. These options were granted on 14 July
2003 under the terms of the Company's Inland Revenue Unapproved Share Option
Scheme and are exercisable between 3 and 10 years.

Mr Maguire has previously also been granted options to purchase a total of
380,000 shares at prices of either 25p and 28p per share.


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