W. L. Gore & Associates Joins Global Healthcare Exchange

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. and WESTMINSTER, Colo., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Medical Products Division of W. L. Gore & Associates has joined Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) to improve supply chain efficiencies for both Gore and its customers. Gore will utilize Global Healthcare Exchange to enable its hospital customers in the United States to electronically purchase items from Gore's extensive line of medical products, including vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, and surgical mesh for hernia repair.

Gore Associate Gene Tierney, who leads sales operations for North America, says the decision to join GHX was driven by its customers growing use of e-commerce to streamline their supply chain operations through process automation. "Many of our customers already participate in GHX," says Tierney. "By conducting business through GHX, we will be able to meet the increased demand for Gore Medical products without adding significant costs to our own supply chain operations."

Tierney says Gore plans to introduce several new medical products in the next five years. The company just recently received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market the GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis, the first device of its kind approved in the United States for treatment of patients with aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta. Earlier this month, Gore announced that it would exclusively distribute Datascope Corporation's entire InterVascular portfolio of polyester products available for sale in the United States. Gore's track record of developing new technologies, along with its creative culture and history, led to it being named "America's Most Innovative Company" by Fast Company magazine in December, 2004.

"Gore's role as an important supplier to U.S. hospitals will only increase as the company continues to grow and add new products to its already impressive line-up," says GHX Chief Executive Officer Mike Mahoney. "Enabling hospitals to increase the amount of purchasing they conduct via e-commerce is one of GHX's primary initiatives in 2005, and having suppliers with the breadth of products that Gore offers participating in the exchange is key to the success of that effort."

Gore joins more than 170 suppliers already conducting business with more than 2200 healthcare providers in North America via GHX.

About W. L. Gore & Associates

Gore Medical Products Division has provided creative therapeutic solutions to complex medical problems for 30 years. During that time, more than 12 million innovative Gore Medical Devices have been implanted, saving and improving the quality of lives worldwide. The extensive Gore Medical family of products includes vascular grafts, endovascular and interventional devices, and surgical mesh for hernia repair.

GORE and TAG are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates. About Global Healthcare Exchange

Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) provides an open and neutral electronic trading exchange, along with complementary products and services, through which buyers and sellers can collaborate to improve efficiencies in the healthcare supply chain. GHX's catalog and content services improve the accuracy of purchasing transactions, reducing many of the most common and costly problems in healthcare procurement, while the privately held company's revenue neutral business model is designed to lower costs for all involved. GHX's owners, strategic partners, and trading exchange participants are representative of the entire healthcare supply chain, including manufacturers and distributors; integrated delivery networks (IDNs), hospitals and ancillary healthcare facilities; group purchasing organizations and their proprietary healthcare trading exchanges; and supply chain technology companies. Equity owners of GHX include Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc.; GE Healthcare; Baxter Healthcare Corp.; Medtronic USA, Inc.; Abbott Exchange, Inc.; Siemens; Becton, Dickinson & Co.; Boston Scientific Corp.; Tyco Healthcare Group, LP; Guidant Corp.; C.R. Bard, Inc.; AmerisourceBergen Corp.; Cardinal Health, Inc.; Fisher Scientific International, Inc.; McKesson Corp.; B Braun Medical Inc.; Premier, Inc. and HCA. For more information visit http://www.ghx.com/.

Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC

CONTACT: Karen Conway of GHX, +1-719-488-0359, or cell, +1-303-564-2147,kconway@ghx.com; or Gene Tierney of W. L. Gore and Associates,+1-847-726-1799, gtierney@wlgore.com

Web site: http://www.ghx.com/