Izasa Distribuciones Tecnicas S.A. Announces Its Extension of the Expiration Date of Its Tender Offer for American Depositary Shares of Instrumentation Laboratory S.p.A

Business Wire, Feb 5, 2002

Business Editors

BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2002

Izasa Distribuciones Tecnicas S.A. announced today that it has extended the offer period of its tender offer to purchase any and all of the outstanding American depositary shares, each representing one ordinary share, par value 1.29 per share, of Instrumentation Laboratory S.p.A. (Symbol: "ISLBY") for U.S.$0.50 per American depositary share in cash, to 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, on Monday, February 11, 2002.

If the offer is extended past Monday, February 11, 2002, we will make a public announcement of the new expiration date before 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on Tuesday, February 12, 2002. As a consequence of the extension of the offer period, holders of Instrumentation Laboratory American depositary shares may tender or withdraw their American depositary shares until 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, on Monday, February 11, 2002. The tender offer was previously scheduled to expire at 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, on Monday, February 4, 2002. Questions and requests for additional information should be made by contacting the Information Agent, Georgeson Shareholder Communications Inc. Banks and brokers should call collect (212) 440-9800. Everyone else should call toll free (800) 455-5402.

As of 12:00 Midnight, New York City time, on Monday, February 4, 2002, approximately 72 persons had tendered and not withdrawn a total of 684,381 American depositary shares.