HCEG Healthcare Ent.

RNS Number:6643W
Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC
18 March 2004



Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC

Ebiox Cleaning Wipes
NHS distribution agreement

Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC (HCEG), the healthcare products and services
company, announces an exchange of contracts with the NHS Purchasing and Supply
Agency, resulting in Ebiox cleaning wipes being made available to the NHS.


The contract awarded to Ebiox's UK distributors Vernon-Carus, will result in the
cleaning wipes called Azowipe Active, being made available to all NHS hospitals
via the NHS Logistics catalogue. The duration of the contract is over three
years between April 2004 and October 2007.


The NHS uses significant quantities of sterile wipes throughout its hospitals
and alcohol wipes currently dominate this sector.  Vernon-Carus was awarded this
contract for Ebiox specifically because it does not contain alcohol with its
associated disadvantages.  Vernon-Carus expects that the superior properties of
Ebiox will lead to a rapid adoption of these non-alcoholic wipes within the NHS.


The fight against hospital acquired infections, MRSA in particular, has lead to
the introduction of various measures to improve hospital hygiene. The use of
cleaning wipes by both infection control service professionals and general
nursing professionals, is growing and are estimated to account for #4 million of
NHS expenditure per year.


Ebiox wipes have been independently tested against a wide range of organisms
including MRSA and results demonstrate effectiveness in eradicating bacteria.


Ebiox


Healthcare Enterprise Group has a 49% shareholding in Ebiox with options to
acquire the outstanding shares.


Ebiox produces a range of patented cleansing and decontamination products, which
are designed to penetrate and remove the bacterial biofilm that harbours
pathogens such as prions, bacteria and viruses. Ebiox cleans surgical
instruments and surfaces to molecular level - achieving a 6-log reduction in
contamination levels.


Ebiox hand products have a reputation for cleansing without drying or irritating
the skin, unlike alcohol-based products, which cause sore, dry hands, and
therefore tend to disincentivise hospital staff from adhering to hand hygiene
protocols.


As well as the current range of products, which are now being marketed in the UK
and will shortly be introduced to the US market, Ebiox had a range of exciting
product innovations in development.  These will assist in the control of MRSA
and SARS.  The company also has products for the decontamination of dental
aspiration lines, hand disinfection products and retail disinfectant wipes.
Ebiox has a user-friendly alcohol free product range which is non harmful to all
surfaces.



Stuart Bruck, Chairman, Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC, commented:



"This represents another important step in the rollout of the Ebiox range of
products. The Ebiox instrument sterilisation product is already in use in over
20 UK hospitals and the recent approval by the US Environment Protection Agency
paves the way for our planned expansion of Ebiox into the USA, the world's
largest healthcare market.



"Moreover, NHS laboratory test results, earlier this month, will catalyse plans
to introduce Ebiox's hand cleansing product into hospitals, unclean hands being
a key contributor to the spread of infection from one patient to the next."



                                                                   18 March 2004



Enquiries:


Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC                                   020 7659 6157
   Stuart Bruck            Chairman
   Dr Gordon Wood          CEO Products & Distribution Division

College Hill                       020 7457 2020
   Nicholas Nelson
   Corinna Dorward


Note to editors



Healthcare Enterprise Group PLC



A healthcare products and services company operating via two synergistic
divisions:



*        HCEG Products and Distribution division provides a wide range of
healthcare products and services

*          HCEG Advisory and Healthcare Services division provides services to
healthcare businesses



HCEG is listed on the UK AIM stock market with its head office in London and
subsidiary offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Germany and the USA.  HCEG is a
business engaged in medical product distribution, occupational health and
medical consultancy markets.  These businesses underpin a range of innovative
medical devices, which will be introduced to the market via HCEG's own
distribution network on a world-wide basis.






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