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ZUG, Switzerland, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- IMI Intelligent Medical Implants AG ("IMI") announced today that it has appointed Robert J. Hill as Vice President of Operations. "I have worked with Bob in the past and am extremely happy that we were able to have him join the management team of IMI," said Vincent A. Bucci, Chairman of IMI. "His experience will help move the company's product, the Intelligent Retinal Implant System, to commercialization." Robert Hill is an experienced medical device executive who has spent the last 14 years in various director positions for Intervascular Inc., a division of Datascope Inc. (NASDAQ:DSCP) that manufactures vascular grafts. While with Intervascular Inc., Hill led the company's French facility to ISO/EN9001/13485 certification, CE Marking, FDA listing and subsequently two successful FDA inspections. Additionally at Intervascular Inc., Hill led the product development and CE approval of the world's first approved anti-microbial graft, InterGard Silver, and also managed a number of major manufacturing improvement and product development projects. Prior to Intervascular he spent more than 10 years at Pira International, the UK technical centre for the Printing, Packaging and Paper and Board industries as a Principle Consultant advising both global and local clients on areas such as Total Quality Management and cost optimisation. "The addition of Bob Hill to the team will provide yet further impetus to the development of the company's first product," said Dr. Stephen J. McCormack, CEO of IMI. About the Learning Retinal Implant System(TM) IMI's Learning Retinal Implant System(TM) replaces the signal-processing functions of a healthy retina and provides input to the retinal nerve cells (the ganglion cells) that, in turn, provide input to the optic nerve and the brain. The System comprises three main components: (1) an implant, "The Retinal Stimulator", which is surgically placed into the eye of a patient, who (2) wears a pair of spectacles containing an integrated mini-camera and transmitter components for wireless signal and energy transmission ("The Visual Interface"). Via a cable, the spectacles are connected to (3) "The Pocket Processor" worn at the patient's waist. This device replaces the information processing function of the formally healthy retina. The use of a high-speed digital signal processor allows the provision of "intelligent information" to the implant (and the nerve cells) by using tuneable software to approximate the information processing normally carried out by the healthy retina. The entire process enables patients to optimize their visual perception during the learning phase. Indeed, using the patient's feedback on perception as an input for the tuning of The Pocket Processor is the unique, patent-protected feature of the System and constitutes the 'learning' capability of the Learning Retinal Implant System(TM). About IMI IMI Intelligent Medical Implants AG, based in Zug, Switzerland -- with its subsidiary IMI Intelligent Medical Implants GmbH in Bonn, Germany -- is developing the Learning Retinal Implant System(TM), the first product of its developing neuro-prosthetics technology platform. The Company's platform aims to give blind people useful visual functionality. The technology integrated into the Company's first product will permit the development, marketing and licensing of further learning neural prostheses for active "intelligent" implantable medical devices. Current investors in IMI include Abingworth Management, Global Life Science Ventures, Polytechnos Venture Partners and Quantum Technology Partners. For further information visit http://www.intmedimplants.com/ . Safe-Harbor Statement This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions regarding anticipated developments and other factors affecting the Company. They are not historical facts, nor are they guarantees of future performance. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. DATASOURCE: IMI Intelligent Medical Implants AG CONTACT: Investors, Stephen McCormack of IMI Intelligent Medical Implants AG, +41-41-723-3838, ; Media, Dan Budwick of BMC Communications Group, LLC, +1-212-477-9007 x14, for IMI Web site: http://www.intmedimplants.com/

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