World First at UK Private Hospital

Innovative Procedure Could Revolutionise Treatment of Cartilage Injuries

LONDON, December 16 - An expert medical team at Spire Alexandra Hospital, Kent, is providing a
groundbreaking treatment for cartilage defects - the first of its kind
worldwide.

The Cartifill procedure is a revolutionary new operation which could
benefit around 9,000 people in the UK each year - that's nine per cent of the
10,000* people who have cartilage injuries that warrant repair. The treatment
replaces damaged cartilage with a specially developed purified atelocollagen
gel, tailored for each individual patient.

The minimally-invasive procedure can be carried out as a day case, with a
recovery time of up to six weeks. Alternative treatments involve at least
three days in hospital and a minimum eight-week recovery.

The Cartifill procedure has been developed in partnership with UK's Spire
Healthcare and South Korean bio-medical company, RMS (Regenerative Medical
System), the leading international provider of stem cell harvesting and
transplantation treatments.

Spire Healthcare's Director of Clinical Services, Dr Jean-Jacques de
Gorter, explains: "Spire Healthcare is committed to developing new
procedures, helping to keep the UK at the forefront of medical provision on a
global level. This ultimately results in our patients benefiting from less
invasive interventions and quicker recovery.

"We're already receiving referrals from doctors around the world wanting
their patients to travel to the UK to undergo this procedure."

Dr Seok-jung Kim, Director of RMS and a recognised pioneer in the biotech
field, says: "The UK has an international reputation as being at the frontier
in medical technology. RMS respects that medical intervention in the UK is
vigorously regulated and, as a result, exceptionally high standards are
maintained.

"Cartifill requires surgical excellence, and it is also essential
patients have support from a dedicated and experienced multi-disciplinary
team of surgeons, theatre staff and physiotherapists, such as the fantastic
team at Spire Alexandra."

Mr Anan Shetty, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Spire Alexandra
Hospital is the only surgeon worldwide trained to carry out the Cartifill
procedure. He says: "This is a very exciting advancement in orthopaedic
surgery - particularly knee surgery as the Cartifill technique is
predominantly beneficial to patients with cartilage damage to the patella
(knee cap).

"There is no blood supply to cartilage so the body cannot generate new
cells when it experiences cartilage injury. While the current chondral
autograft has some excellent outcome results, it doesn't do well for
treatment to the patella so this is an area where this new technique could
revolutionise treatment of younger or particularly active patients in need of
knee replacement."

Mr Shetty, Senior Lecturer at Kings' College, London, continues: "The
unique atelocollagen gel contains natural regenerative properties and uses
natural biomaterials which makes it immunologically safe."

Spire Healthcare will be training consultant orthopaedic surgeons at
other Spire Hospitals across the UK to carry out the procedure, which is
covered by private medical insurers as well as being available for
self-paying patients.

*Source: NICE guidelines - cartilage defects of the knee joints, May 2005

Photos available

www.spirehealthcare.com

www.rmsbio.net

Further information; Sam Desport +44(0)2380215387 sam at merchantmarketinggroup.com