Dr. Giuseppe De Luca Wins Third Annual Thomas J. Linnemeier Spirit of Interventional Cardiology Young Investigator Award; Guidant-Supported Grant Honors Late Chief Medical Officer

Guidant Corporation (NYSE:GDT) today announced that Dr.Giuseppe De Luca of Hospital De Weezenlanden, Zwolle, The Netherlands,has been selected to receive the third annual Thomas J. LinnemeierSpirit of Interventional Cardiology Young Investigator Award. Theaward, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) andsupported through an unrestricted grant by Guidant, was presentedtoday at the annual scientific sessions of the TranscatheterCardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) Conference in Washington, D.C. Theaward honors the late Thomas J. Linnemeier, M.D., who was Guidant'ssenior vice president, New Ventures, and chief medical officer,Vascular Intervention.

"It is our honor to present the third Thomas J. Linnemeier Spiritof Interventional Cardiology Young Investigator Award to Dr. De Luca,"said Gregg W. Stone, M.D., Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork, N.Y, vice chairman of CRF and a course director of TCT. "At thisearly stage in his career, Dr. De Luca has made significantcontributions to the advancement of coronary disease treatment throughhis extensive research in and statistical analysis of primaryangioplasty. He has published in more than 30 current publications,including 19 first-authored articles in the Journal of the AmericanMedical Association, Circulation, the Journal of the American Collegeof Cardiology, Heart and others. Dr. De Luca trained in general andinterventional cardiology at the University of Naples, and specializedin interventional cardiology at De Weezenlanden Hospital in Zwolle. Hehas received several awards for abstract presentations at majorscientific sessions, and is widely regarded by his mentors and peersas a committed and caring clinician. We are confident that Dr. De Lucawill continue to build upon his early accomplishments and provideencouragement and inspiration to the next generation of interventionalcardiologists."

"We are pleased that Dr. De Luca has been named the recipient ofthe third annual Thomas J. Linnemeier award," said John M. Capek,Ph.D., president, Vascular Intervention, Guidant Corporation. "Dr. DeLuca's remarkable accomplishments thus far clearly continue the legacyof Tom Linnemeier, a widely respected and beloved interventionalcardiologist who was known for his innovative spirit, tirelessenthusiasm and personal dedication to patients. We remain committed torecognizing and supporting promising future leaders in the field ofinterventional cardiology through this award."

The award recognizes present and future clinical and academicexcellence in fellowship trainees and recent graduates ininterventional cardiology and endovascular medicine, in order tostimulate future commitment and dedication to the dual tracks ofpatient care and academic investigation. Candidates must be current orrecent trainees from a formal fellowship program specializing ininterventional cardiology, peripheral intervention or their alliedfields. Applicants may be from the United States or abroad.

Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving anopportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascularpatients worldwide. The company, driven by a strong entrepreneurialculture of 12,000 employees, develops, manufactures and markets abroad array of products and services that enable less invasive carefor some of life's most threatening medical conditions. For moreinformation, visit www.guidant.com.

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