Frankfurt am Main, June 26, 2006 - The American medical technology company Haemonetics Corp. proposes to acquire the nanotechnology company Arryx, Inc., one of Nanostart AG's portfolio companies.

Haemonetics Corp., domiciled in Braintree (Massachusetts), has already been working with Arryx since October 2004 on the joint development and commercialization of technologies for purifying and processing blood. The technology developed by Arryx users lasers to create so-called optical traps which are able to hold, move, separate and otherwise manipulate hundreds of tiny nanometer-scale objects both individually as well as in parallel rows.

Haemonetics is a producer of medical systems focussing on the purification and processing of human blood. The listed company is traded at the New York Stock Exchange under the code "HAE" and currently has a market capitalization of more than USD 1.3 billion.

"The acquisition of Arryx is a key component of our strategy to strengthen and diversify our own research initiatives and expand the business by leveraging our core competencies," said Brad Nutter, Haemonetics' President and CEO. "Nano-separation technology adds to our blood separation competency and provides us with a new technology platform. With Arryx technology and its world class research employees we can see opportunities to broaden our reach into new, adjacent markets."

"The sale of our Arryx investment to an established company evidences once again the high quality of our investment portfolio", claims Marco Beckmann, CEO of Nanostart AG. "Large groups, in particular, currently recognize the opportunity of incorporating innovative strength by acquiring young and dynamically growing nanotechnology companies."

Haemonetics Corp., which itself already has a shareholding in Arryx, will pay the remaining shareholders an estimated USD 26 million in cash for the outstanding shares. The entire transaction is to be completed in the third quarter 2006. Both the workforce as well as the operating units of Arryx are to remain in Chicago.

About Arryx, Inc.:
The company is specialized in the development and deployment of a laser-based nanotechnology. By means of a laser, the user can grasp and re-arrange both objects the size of a body cell as well as objects only a few nanometers in size or molecules. The products of the company are broadly used throughout the sector - in medicine, nanoelectronics, nanobiotechnology as well as in the optical technologies field.
For more information please visit: www.arryx.com

About Nanostart AG:
Nanostart AG is Europe's leading nanotechnology investment company whose activities are divided into two areas: one of its focuses is investing in fast-growing nanotechnology companies; its other key area of activity is advising companies in the financial industry on investments in the nanotechnology sector.

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