Fresenius Kabi Recognized By Frost & Sullivan For Competitive Strategy Leadership In Clinical Nutrition

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan will present Fresenius Kabi with the 2005 Competitive Strategy Leadership of the Year Award for the company's outstanding performance in the global clinical nutrition markets at tonight's Excellence in Medical Devices & Healthcare Awards Banquet.

Fresenius Kabi's portfolio focuses on the therapy and care of critically and chronically ill patients in and outside the hospital. The company is in Infusion Therapy and Clinical Nutrition market leader in Europe and in its emerging markets. Within in the field of Clinical Nutrition Fresenius Kabi has a complete range of devices, both equipment and disposables, and products addressing clinical nutrition. Some of these include multi-chamber bags, lipids, additives, amino acids, tube feeds, sip feeds, and feeding pumps. Fresenius Kabi is the only company that offers products for both types of clinical nutrition internationally, enteral as well as parenteral nutrition, and the respective medical devices.

Since the 1960's the company has significantly influenced the development and establishment of clinical nutrition to position itself as the vendor of choice in this market. Clinical nutrition is a particularly important and growing area of healthcare, as patients in hospitals are frequently malnourished. The European Council's report on the nutritional situation in hospitals confirms that approximately 30 percent of all inpatients in Europe are malnourished.

"Fresenius Kabi developed successfully over the past years. Between 2002 and 2004, the company's contribution to the Fresenius Group's net income climbed from 22 % (30 million EUR) to 47 % (79 million EUR)," says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Vanita Khetan. "Fresenius Kabi has adopted the organic growth strategy with great panache to compete with other major companies."

Fresenius Kabi is a member of numerous industry alliances in the clinical nutrition therapy area such as the Middle East's first Medical Device Association (MECOMED), European Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN), and its individual country chapters such as British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN).

Fresenius Kabi is taking the initiative in the clinical nutrition field. Its program "Good Nutrition Practice" sets new international standards in the nutritional therapy of patients. In collaboration with an international team of experts, they are working on a series of measures aimed at creating a simple and practical procedure to identify patients at risk, determine their nutritional needs and monitor their nutritional status.

Overall, as a major vendor in the clinical nutrition markets, Fresenius Kabi has demonstrated excellent applications of competitive strategy leadership for mind and market shares. For its successful strategy implementation, the company is a worthy recipient of the 2005 World Clinical Nutrition Competitive Strategy Leadership of the Year Award.

Frost & Sullivan presents this Award each year to a company who has executed an innovative strategy within the existing competitive landscape, recognizing the company's ability to capture or solidify market presence through innovative strategies that help overtake the competition. This often forces the counterparts to quickly adjust in order to protect their own market position.

Held in San Francisco, Frost & Sullivan's 2005 Excellence in Medical Devices & Healthcare Awards Banquet honors world-class companies for outstanding performance and achievements in the medical devices industry. An annual event, the banquet recognizes the quality and merit of distinguished individuals and companies.

About Fresenius Kabi

Fresenius Kabi is the leader in Infusion Therapy and Clinical Nutrition in Europe and in its most important countries of Latin America and Asia Pacific. Fresenius Kabi's core product range includes infusion solutions for fluid substitution, blood volume replacement, intravenously administered drugs as well as parenteral and enteral nutrition. Furthermore, the company offers medical devices for the application of Infusion Therapy and Clinical Nutrition and Infusion Management. In addition, Fresenius Kabi is active in the field of Transfusion Technology, supplying blood processing systems as well as blood bags and filters. Fresenius Kabi is focused on the therapy and care of critically and chronically ill patients in- and outside the hospital.

Fresenius Kabi achieved sales of EUR 1,491 million and an operating profit of EUR 176 million in 2004. The company has more than 11,500 employees in around 30 countries.

Fresenius Kabi AG is a 100% subsidiary of the health care group Fresenius AG.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company founded in 1961, partners with clients to create value through innovative growth strategies. The foundation of this partnership approach is our Growth Partnership Services platform, whereby we provide industry research, marketing strategies, consulting, and training to our clients to help grow their business. A key benefit that Frost & Sullivan brings to its clients is a global perspective on a broad range of industries, markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. With a client list that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, as well as the investment community, Frost & Sullivan has evolved into one of the premier growth consulting companies in the world. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com/

Contact: Stacie Jones +1-210-247-2450 Stacie.jones@frost.com

CONTACT: Contact: Stacie Jones, +1-210-247-2450, Stacie.jones@frost.com