September 11, 2002

Terumo acquires rights from Mission Medical Inc., U.S.A., to manufacture and sell Mission's system for the automated collection and separation of whole blood into red blood cells and plasma.

We are pleased to inform you that Terumo Corporation (head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Takashi Wachi) concluded a contract on August 30, 2002, with Mission Medical Inc., an engineering/development company based in Fremont, California, U.S.A., under which Terumo acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to manufacture and sell an automated whole blood collection and separation device and disposables under development by Mission.

Depending on the outcome of the development, clinical study and Regulatory Approval processes, Terumo plans to market Mission's System within the next three years in North America and Europe.

At present, blood donation is carried out in two different ways: whole blood donation where the blood is collected in blood bags using a "manual" process; and the component type of apheresis blood donation where only the needed components in the blood are collected online from the donor.

In the case of the manual whole blood donation process, blood is collected from donors and centrifuged in laboratories into two or three types of components: red blood cells, blood plasma and sometimes, blood platelets. However, blood collection, and the laboratories where blood components are prepared, is often at performed at different locations. This requires transporting and storing the blood, as well as processing it at the laboratories, which overall requires a considerable amount of time and labor.

The equipment now being developed by Mission Medical Inc.--and which Terumo will manufacture and market world-wide-- is a next-generation automated whole blood collection device and disposable system, that will quickly collect and separate the donated whole blood into the final red blood cell and plasma products, ready for transfusion.

Due to the need for greater efficiencies and process control and a requirement for more red cells and plasma, particularly in the American market, Terumo believes that the System under development by Mission will meet an important need.

Blood collected from donors is a limited and valuable resource. Starting with the first domestic production of blood bags, Terumo has developed and is selling blood filters, equipment for the component-apheresis type blood collection, and other products that improve the safety, security and efficiency of the blood transfusion market. Terumo continues to actively develop further products to provide patients with safe blood.