ABBOTT LAUNCHES NEW PRECISION XTRA™ PLUS TEST STRIP IN EUROPE

Athens, Greece, September 13, 2005 — Abbott Diabetes Care today introduced the new Precision Xtra™ Plus (Optium™ Plus in some markets) Glucose Test Strip in Europe for use with the Precision™ Xceed (Optium Xceed™ in some markets) Advanced Diabetes Management System at the 41^st Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in .  The new test strip offers results in just five seconds and requires a small blood sample of only 0.6 micro litre.  The new Precision Xtra Plus test strip provides reliable, accurate results in half the time of the original strip.

"The launch of the new, upgraded Precision Xtra Plus test strip in the European marketplace demonstrates Abbott’s continued commitment to developing technologies, products and services to improve the lives of people with diabetes," commented Ed Fiorentino, president of Abbott Diabetes Care. 

The new blue-colored test strip provides maximum colour contrast with blood samples, making it easier to apply blood samples to the strip.  Simple, two-step testing allows patients to insert the test strip, add a blood drop and begin the test.  Blood can be applied to the end or to the surface of the strip, making sample application simpler and more flexible for blood glucose testing.

The Precision Xtra Plus test strip in combination with the Precision Xceed meter supports alternate site testing, allowing the patient to take blood samples from fingers, palm or forearms.  In addition, Precision Xceed provides patients with the advantage of blood ketone testing, providing a ketone test result in 30 seconds.  Blood ketone testing offers the advantage of earlier detection of blood ketone levels compared to traditional urine measurements.

The Precision Xtra Plus test strip features a fill-trigger electrode designed to ensure the test will only start when there is enough blood to give an accurate result.  In addition, the strip utilises a unique chemistry known as TrueMeasure™ technology which minimises the effects of interfering substances such as aspirin, uric acid, vitamin C or acetaminophen providing glucose-specific results.

The new Precision Xtra Plus Blood Glucose Test Strip will be available in October 2005.

Abbott Diabetes Care, based in , is a leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing glucose monitoring systems designed to help patients better manage their diabetes.  Abbott Diabetes Care is committed to developing products to reduce the discomfort and inconvenience of blood glucose monitoring and introducing systems that are easier to use, require smaller blood samples and provide faster results. 

Abbott Diabetes Care manufactures and markets several leading-edge glucose monitoring systems and test strips for use in both home and hospital settings.  Among its leading brands in Europe, the Middle East and are FreeStyle^®, FreeStyle Mini™, FreeStyle Papillon™ Mini, Precision Xceed™, Optium Xceed™, and Precision PCx™.

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics.  The company employs more than 60,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.  More information about Abbott may be found at www.abbott.com.