Two New Directors Appointed to Atrionix Board

For Immediate Release

June 7, 1999

Contact:	Dr. Michael Ross
	President &CEO
	Atrionix, Inc.
	650-843-1980

Palo Alto, Calif. -- June 7, 1999- Two new directors have been appointed to the board of Atrionix, Inc., which is developing a catheter-based cure for atrial fibrillation (AF)

Richard Ferrari is President and CEO of CardioThoracic Systems, Inc., Cupertino, CA, the leader in instrumentation for minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Dr. Jerry Griffin, MD, was previously Executive Vice President for medical affairs of InControl, Inc., Redmond, WA, the implantable atrial defibrillator developer, until its recent sale to Guidant Corporation (NYSE:GDT).

"Coming at the conclusion of our second round of venture capital funding, which raised $8 million, appointment to our board of two individuals of the caliber of Rich Ferrari and Jerry Griffin is another great step forward for Atrionix," said Dr. Michael Ross, President and CEO of Atrionix.

Atrionix is focused on developing a proprietary, catheter-based system for curing AF, which is a disruption in the heart's normal sinus rhythm. The Atrionix catheter system allows quick, safe and permanent isolation of the pulmonary veins, structures which are now understood to trigger AF in a significant number of patients.

AF affects five million people in the developed world, with more than 400,000 new cases diagnosed annually, and is particularly hard on the elderly. Stroke is one of its major complications. There are estimated to be over two million patients in the U.S. currently diagnosed with AF.

Atrionix, which has raised nearly $12 million since 1997, is moving toward initiating the Food and Drug Administration process for U.S. human clinical studies of its system, as well as beginning pilot human clinical studies abroad.

In addition to Magic Venture Capital, major Atrionix investors include Brentwood Venture Capital, Menlo Park, CA; Johnson and Johnson Development Corporation, the Redwood Shores, CA venture arm of health care products firm Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Premier Medical Partner Fund, San Diego, the venture fund of Premier, Inc., the large hospital strategic buying organization.