Patrick Aebischer M.D., Ph.D. Joins Board At CytoTherapeutics

PROVIDENCE, RI, February 5, 1996 -- CytoTherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTII) today announced the election of Patrick Aebischer, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Gene Therapy Center at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Switzerland, to its Board of Directors. With the addition of Dr. Aebischer, CytoTherapeutics' Board includes seven members.

Dr. Aebischer, who is a founding scientist of CytoTherapeutics and co-developer of the Company's proprietary cell-encapsulation technology, is currently directing clinical trials of the Company's encapsulated-cell implants designed to treat chronic pain and ALS. In addition to his duties as Director of the Gene Therapy Center, he also serves as Professor of Surgery at the CHUV. Prior to his work at the CHUV, Dr. Aebischer was Professor of Biomaterials Research in the Department of Biomedicine at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. While at Brown, Dr. Aebischer spearheaded innovative studies in the use of encapsulated cells to treat central nervous system disorders.

"Dr. Aebischer has been a guiding force and major contributor to the clinical research and technical advances made by the Company since it was founded in 1988," said Seth A. Rudnick, M.D., Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "We are extremely pleased that he will now be joining the Board where he can further contribute to the development and ultimate commercialization of our products to treat central nervous system disorders."

Dr. Aebischer received his bachelor of science degree from St. Michel College in Fribourg Switzerland and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Geneva, and is a native of Switzerland. An innovator in the fields of artificial organs, biomaterials and cellular technology, Dr. Aebischer has received several national and international awards including the Kloff Prize's Young Investigator Award, presented by the American Society for Artificial Internal Organs, and the prestigious Bing Prize, an international prize awarded every two years by the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences to individuals whose work has significantly impacted the progression and knowledge of diseases of the central nervous system.

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CytoTherapeutics, Inc. is a leader in the development of proprietary products and technology designed to deliver therapeutic substances to the central nervous system (CNS). The Company's CNS-focused technology is designed to provide controlled, site-specific and safe delivery of a variety of novel therapeutic substances across the blood-brain barrier, potentially overcoming a fundamental obstacle in the effective treatment of CNS diseases. The Company is currently developing products for the treatment of chronic pain, ALS, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, with additional research efforts directed to several other CNS disorders. For additional information, visit the Company's Internet web site at http://www.cyto.com.