Boston Scientific Corporation and Royal Phillips Electronics Announce Collaboration to Enhance Imaging Equipment Offering

NATICK and ANDOVER, Mass., May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) and Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) announced a collaboration enabling Philips to sell Boston Scientific Imaging equipment in connection with its Allura Xper catheterization (cath) lab systems in territories throughout the world.

The Boston Scientific iLab Ultrasound Imaging System serves as a versatile platform for utilizing Boston Scientific's imaging catheters. The iLab System features exceptional image quality and allows physicians the ability to choose from a variety of imaging catheters for coronary, peripheral and intracardiac applications. The iLab System is compatible and can be integrated with all major X-ray systems including the Philips Allura Xper system. This agreement gives Philips the ability to offer customers an integrated imaging solution that is compatible with current and next-generation Boston Scientific imaging catheters.

Boston Scientific's Imaging business includes a full line of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) imaging catheters and a robust pipeline of new technologies. These devices enable physicians to assess diseased arteries and intracardiac structures to aid in appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Philips is the worldwide leader in angiographic systems for the cardiology lab. The Philips Allura Xper system offers customers exceptional image clarity and deeper insight for diagnosing and treating cardiac disease. Interventional tools work smoothly in sync with the X-ray system which can be tailored for multiple interventional cardiology and cardiovascular mixed-use environments.

"Boston Scientific is pleased to collaborate with Philips and establish the foundation for an ongoing relationship," said Isaac Zacharias, general manager of Boston Scientific's Imaging business. "As premier providers of medical technology for cardiologists and electrophysiologists, this collaboration is expected to expand the ability of Boston Scientific and Philips to offer integrated solutions that improve ease of use and workflow for our worldwide customers."

"This collaboration is a further step in Philips' strategy to offer seamlessly integrated interventional solutions. Philips works with companies like Boston Scientific to continuously enhance the integrated functioning of our cath labs and further enhance the user experience," said Bert van Meurs, senior vice president and general manager, Interventional X-Ray, for Philips Healthcare.

About Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: www.bostonscientific.com.

About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through meaningful innovation. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 122,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 22.6 billion in 2011, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "anticipate," "expect," "project," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "intend" and similar words. These forward-looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding the collaboration between Boston Scientific and Philips, new technologies and products, business strategy and product performance and effects. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward-looking statements.

Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file hereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.

SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation