Skin sterol provides new information about heart disease risk

Skin sterol provides new information about heart disease risk
PREVU(x) POC Skin Sterol Test has value in further stratifying
intermediate-risk patients 


TORONTO, May 2  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Patients with elevated skin sterol
and a high Framingham global risk score have a significantly higher risk of
multivessel disease (narrowing in two or more coronary vessels), according to
data presented on Saturday at the 6th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis,
Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, in Washington, DC.

The study, which included 649 patients, was conducted at The Cleveland Clinic
Foundation, Trillium Health Center and St. Michael's Hospital. Skin tissue
cholesterol, or skin sterol, was measured non-invasively by PREVU(x) Point of
Care (POC) Skin Sterol Test (previously known as Cholesterol 1,2,3(TM)).

"These findings further demonstrate that skin sterol provides independent,
additive information about heart disease risk," said Dr. Brent Norton,
President and Chief Executive Officer of IMI International Medical Innovations,
Inc. (TSX: IMI; Amex: IME), developer of the test. "Skin sterol yields
prognostic information beyond that provided by traditional risk factors. For
intermediate-risk patients, better incremental information about risk can be
the key to preventing a first heart attack."

PREVU(x) POC, marketed worldwide by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Canada, tests
the amount of sterol in the skin tissues. The test does not require the drawing
of blood or a special pre-test diet and takes less than five minutes to
perform. PREVU(x) POC is available for sale to medical professionals in the
United States and Canada and in select European markets.

The Framingham Global Risk Score uses well-established cardiac risk factors of
age, gender, total serum cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol,
systolic blood pressure and smoking status, which are measured and entered into
a risk calculation model that in turn generates a score for absolute risk of
coronary artery disease (CAD).

"This data shows that there is an independent, additive risk of concurrent
multivessel disease when Framingham risk and skin sterol are both elevated,"
said Dr. Dennis Sprecher, principal investigator of the study. "Skin sterol can
help to further refine risk assessment beyond traditional biomarkers, so that
health care professionals are better equipped to target and adjust prevention
therapies. In a time of scarce health resources, such an opportunity is most
welcome."

About the Study

The study included 649 patients, not on lipid-lowering medications, scheduled
for coronary angiography. Patients were classified according to the presence of
high skin sterol and high Framingham global risk scores. Isolated high skin
sterol and isolated high Framingham risk indicated increased risk of
multivessel disease. When both scores were elevated, risk of multivessel
disease was four times greater.

The abstract, titled Skin Cholesterol Adds to Framingham Risk Assessment, is by
Dennis L. Sprecher, MD and Gregory L. Pearce, PhD of the University of
Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

About Cardiovascular Disease

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases (CVD),
which include coronary artery disease, stroke and other diseases, account for
about 17 million deaths per year worldwide. By 2025, CVD is expected to cause
25 million deaths annually. More people worldwide - approximately 7 million -
die from coronary artery disease than any other cause.

According to the American Heart Association, in the U.S., about every 26
seconds one American will suffer a coronary event, and about every minute,
someone will die from one.

About IMI

IMI (http://www.imimedical.com/) is a world leader in predictive medicine,
dedicated to developing rapid, non-invasive tests for the early detection of
life-threatening diseases. IMI's cardiovascular products, which are branded as
PREVU(x) Skin Sterol Test, are marketed and distributed worldwide by McNeil
Consumer Healthcare, Canada. The company's cancer tests include
ColorectAlert(TM), LungAlert(TM) and a breast cancer test. IMI's head office is
located in Toronto, and its research and product development facility is at
McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

For North American sales inquiries related to PREVU(x) POC Skin Sterol Test,
please call McNeil's customer service hotline at 1-866-283-8328. For European
sales inquiries, please call 00-800-8283-8328. All e-mail inquiries may be
forwarded to .

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements
involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the
Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-
looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the
lack of operating profit and availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D
projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the
successful development or marketing of the Company's products, reliance on
third-party manufacturers, the competitiveness of the Company's products if
successfully commercialized, the ability of the Company to take advantage of
business opportunities, uncertainties related to the regulatory process, and
general changes in economic conditions. In addition, while the Company
routinely obtains patents for its products and technology, the protection
offered by the Company's patents and patent applications may be challenged,
invalidated or circumvented by our competitors and there can be no guarantee of
our ability to obtain or maintain patent protection for our products or product
candidates.

Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the
Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks
and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are
cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. IMI is providing
this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake
any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press
release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

DATASOURCE: IMI International Medical Innovations Inc.



CONTACT: Company Contact: Sarah Borg-Olivier, Director, Communications,

T: [phone], ; U.S. Investor Contact:

Janet Vasquez, Lynn Granito, John Nesbett, The Investor Relations Group,

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