BAYER HEALTHCARE, DIAGNOSTICS DIVISION SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH NOVATION

Bayer HealthCare Diagnostics Division, a member of the Bayer Group (NYSE: BAY) announced today it has been awarded a single-source award for urine chemistry analyzers and test strips and a dual-source award for urine microscopy from Novation, the supply company of VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC). The award provides VHA and UHC member health care organizations with access to savings on Bayer Diagnostics' urine chemistry and urine microscopy products and adds to the four previously established contracts with Novation for automation and immunoassay, hematology, blood gas and molecular products. This most recent award gives VHA and UHC member hospitals the option to streamline and optimize purchasing by accessing a comprehensive product offering from a single supplier.

PR Newswire (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-09-2005/0004085043&EDATE)