Aug 2, 2002
Guidant Partners with Prominent Venture Capital Firms to Form Vesalius Ventures

New Entity Will Identify Opportunities in Telemedicine, Clinical Informatics and Advanced Patient Management

Indianapolis, IN and St. Paul, MN - Guidant Corporation (NYSE and PCX: GDT), a world leader in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease, announced today that the company has partnered with two prominent venture capital firms, Vanguard Ventures and Fremont Ventures, to establish Vesalius Ventures, a telemedicine venture accelerator. Vesalius Ventures will specifically focus on identifying and funding early stage opportunities in the areas of telemedicine, clinical informatics and Advanced Patient Management(tm).

"Guidant is committed to growing our core business by integrating medical technology and information technology to offer best-in-class products and services," said William McConnell, chief information officer, Guidant Corporation. "We believe the convergence of medical and information technologies offers opportunities to more effectively diagnose and treat patients with chronic diseases." McConnell will represent Guidant on the Vesalius Ventures board of directors.

The newly-formed Vesalius Ventures is a seed-stage early investment venture capital accelerator specializing in telemedicine, medical informatics and technology. Located in Houston, Texas, the firm helps create, fund and nurture new companies that will significantly shape health care in the 21st century. Dr. Bernard Harris, renowned astronaut, physician and pioneer in the use of medical instruments in remote environments, has been named president and chief executive officer. For more information, visit www.vesaliusventures.com.

Vanguard Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in seed and early stage investments in life sciences and technology. Founded in 1981, the firm has $500 million under management, with investments focused in communications, life sciences and information technology. Vanguard Ventures has built its reputation on the strength of its management team, each bringing extensive and successful backgrounds as technologists, operating executives, CEOs of public and private companies, entrepreneurs and venture capital investors to their role. The firm has offices in Palo Alto, California, and Houston, Texas. (www.vanguardventures.com)

Fremont Ventures provides growth capital to experienced management teams executing scalable technology-based business models in large industries. Located in San Francisco, California, Fremont Ventures is part of Fremont Group, a $12 billion investment pool with the Bechtel Company and family as its largest limited partners. Fremont Ventures has $200 million under active management. (www.fremontventures.com/)

Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving an opportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. The company, driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture of more than 10,000 employees, develops, manufactures and markets a broad array of products and services that enable less invasive care for some of life''s most threatening medical conditions. For more information visit www.guidant.com.