Press Contact: Roberto Cattaneo [email protected] +39-02-21771

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BRACCO IMAGING ANNOUNCES A NEW DIRECT PRESENCE IN , BRAZIL AND MEXICO

Bracco Imaging S.p.A. is continuing its long standing commitment to healthcare community now also in key areas of Latin America

MILANO (Italy), April 19, 2012 - Bracco Imaging S.p.A., a global leading company in the diagnostic imaging business, announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire local subsidiaries in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico of Justesa Imagen, an important distributor of Contrast Media in the Latin American geographic area.

“The acquisition follows a long-term strategy for strengthening Bracco Imaging’s presence in key markets. With this transaction, Bracco Imaging sets another important milestone in its International expansion strategy which, over the last two years, has led to establishing a direct presence in , Scandinavia and Central Eastern Europe. Through the newly acquired affiliates, Bracco will reinforce its relationship with the Latin America Scientific Community, offering a broad portfolio of contrast media, contrast administration systems, and imaging solutions” said Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Head of the Global Business Unit Imaging of Bracco Imaging.

“This transaction represents an excellent opportunity to increase our competiveness in Latin America. With the new direct presence, we are very confident that the combination of our clinically proven robust product portfolio with a global organization delivering support services and a long-standing commitment to healthcare community will allow us to become also in Latin America the preferred choice for optimal and effective patient management of many imaging professionals” added Carlo Medici, Head of Global Commercial Operations of Bracco Imaging.

With a shared common business culture, the acquisition of the Justesa Imagen organization in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico will leverage on Bracco Imaging global processes and team expertise leading to a smooth transition also for customers.

For Justesa Imagen, S.A., this operation represents an excellent opportunity to reinforce its R&D strategy in order to produce new pharmaceutical APIs for the healthcare community.

Being the largest Diatrizoic Acid (DTA) manufacturer worldwide, Justesa Imagen, S.A. is continuing its commitment to research and manufacturing activities in the fine chemistry plant of Coslada (Madrid, Spain). The plant fully complies, since 1983, with the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and allows Justesa to maintain an ongoing export operation to the USA market and other 30 countries.

“This agreement let us focus on the production of a wider range of APIs and products and it also provides us with necessary resources to expand our international strategy in other territories” said Inés Juste, CEO of JUSTE, S.A.Q.F. and JUSTESA, S.A.

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*** About Justesa Imagen Justesa Imagen is the affiliated company of JUSTE S.A.Q.F. (http://www.juste.es). The company, founded in 1922, is one of the first Spanish firms devoted to manufacturing pharmaceutical specialty products and raw materials.

Today JUSTE is actively engaged in researching, developing and distributing pharmaceutical products. Its main business areas are the production, distribution and marketing of pharmaceutical (hospital and prescription) products and contrast media.

JUSTE is present in Central America through the affiliated companies of Juste Internacional.

*** About Bracco Imaging Bracco Imaging S.p.A. (http://www.braccoimaging.com) is one of the world’s leading companies in the diagnostic imaging business. Headquartered in , Italy, Bracco Imaging develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic imaging agents and solutions that meet medical needs.

Bracco Imaging offers a product and solution portfolio for all key diagnostic imaging modalities: X- ray Imaging (including Computed Tomography-CT, Interventional , and Cardiac Catheterization), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Contrast Enhanced (CEUS).

The diagnostic imaging offer is completed by several medical devices and advanced administration systems for contrast imaging products in the fields of radiology.

Bracco Imaging is as a part of a an integrated multinational group, the Bracco Group, which includes also Pharma (ethical and over the counter drugs in Italy), ACIST Medical Systems (medical devices and advanced imaging agents injection systems based in Minneapolis, US), and CDI, Centro Diagnostico Italiano (a diagnostic clinic based in Milan, Italy).