Mar 31, 200
COMPANION Trial Results Announced at Late Breaking Scientific Session at the American College of Cardiology 52nd Annual Scientific Session

Preliminary Data Demonstrate Mortality Benefit and Reduced Hospitalization for Heart Failure Patients

CHICAGO - Guidant Corporation (NYSE: GDT), a world leader in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease, today reported that the COMPANION investigative team presented the preliminary results of the landmark Comparison of Medical Therapy, Pacing, and Defibrillation in Chronic Heart Failure (COMPANION) trial during a late-breaking scientific session at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) 52nd Annual Scientific Session.

In their joint presentation, Michael R. Bristow, M.D., Ph.D., University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and Arthur M. Feldman M.D., Ph.D., Thomas Jefferson Medical College, announced that while previous clinical studies have demonstrated that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices improve exercise performance and quality of life only, preliminary COMPANION data show a clinically significant decrease in combined mortality and hospitalization.

"We''ve demonstrated, in a large, randomized, long-term, multi-centered trial, an improvement in those things that we want to change most for heart failure patients, to decrease all-cause mortality and decrease all-cause hospitalization despite a population that had absolutely optimized pharmacologic therapy," said Dr. Bristow.

Preliminary data presented include the following, each as compared to optimal pharmacologic therapy:

* A 19 percent reduction in combined all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalization for heart failure patients implanted with Guidant''s cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers (CRT-P).

* A 19 percent reduction in combined all-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalization for heart failure patients implanted with Guidant''s cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D).

* A 43 percent reduction in all-cause mortality for heart failure patients who received Guidant''s CRT-D device.

In addition, the COMPANION investigators reported that CRT-P and CRT-D demonstrated a reduction in combined all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalization of 35 percent and 39 percent, respectively.

"We are extremely pleased with the preliminary results presented today. Guidant is a leader in clinical science dedicated to bringing forward important therapies that have the potential to extend and improve life. Guidant has invested $50 million in support of the science of COMPANION and more than $350 million in heart failure research over the last 13 years," said Fred McCoy, president, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Guidant Corporation. "The COMPANION data suggest we are on the right track toward our goal of providing clinically beneficial solutions for heart failure patients and their physicians."

The COMPANION trial, sponsored solely by Guidant, is a prospective, multi-center, randomized study of patients with advanced heart failure (NYHA Class III or IV). The patients studied in this trial had a poorly functioning left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber. The study enrolled 1,634 patients at 128 centers in the United States. The COMPANION study used Guidant''s CONTAK® TR(tm) cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (CRT-P) and the CONTAK® CD® cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) in the device treatment arms. The study''s Executive Committee halted enrollment in the COMPANION trial on November 21, 2002 after being informed by the study''s independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board that the pre-specified number of events for the study''s primary endpoints had been achieved. Final and complete data collection and analysis is ongoing.

"Despite the fact that over the past two decades we''ve developed new drugs for treating heart failure, we still have a million hospitalizations and we still have a one-year mortality of 15 -30 percent with this disease," said Dr. Feldman. "The ability to potentially add another treatment strategy to our armamentarium for treating heart failure is of overwhelming importance. Further analysis of the data will provide us greater insights, we intend to publish the complete findings later in 2003."

Guidant plans to submit results of the COMPANION study to the FDA and international regulatory agencies to potentially expand indications for its implantable cardiac resynchronization devices. Additional indications for use of these devices, if approved, could significantly expand the eligible patient population for cardiac resynchronization defibrillators and substantially improve adoption of cardiac resynchronization therapy with heart failure referring physicians.

The COMPANION study design can be referenced in the Journal of Cardiac Failure 2000:6:3; 276-285.

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 11,000 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.

This release contains forward-looking statements concerning the therapy and the eligible patient population. The statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including final analysis of study data, regulatory timelines and approvals, continuing product developments, and other factors identified on Exhibit 99.1 to the company''s most recent 10-K. Actual results may differ materially. The company does not undertake to update it forward-looking statements.