Re Marketing Approval

RNS Number:1059Q
Provalis PLC
30 August 2000

                      Provalis plc

             APPROVAL OF GLYCOSAL IN JAPAN
                            
Following  the  announcement of  23rd  August  2000  that
Provalis Diagnostics, the medical diagnostics division of
Provalis  plc, received USA regulatory approval  for  its
innovative  point of care  diabetes-monitoring  product,
Glycosal, the Company is delighted to announce  that  it
has  now  received marketing approval  from  Japan.   The
product will be sold in Japan through our distributor Bio-
Rad Laboratories Inc as the Micromat II.

The  product measures glycated haemoglobin in a single  4
minute   test   carried  out  in  the  doctor s   office.
Glycosal  measures  the  diabetic s  average  level   of
glucose  over  the  last  three  months  by  measuring  a
specific  fraction  of  the patients  haemoglobin  called
HbA1c.   The product is used to help monitor the severity
of,  and  the  effectiveness of  long-term  therapy  for,
diabetes.

John  Curtis,  Managing Director of Provalis  Diagnostics
commenting  on the approval said, "I have  to  thank  our
distributor  Bio-Rad for assisting us in  this  approval.
Their  Japanese subsidiary achieved this in  record  time
and  considerably ahead of schedule.  The Japanese market
for  Glycosal is considerable and we are delighted  that
we can now begin sales of the product.

Phil Gould, Chief Executive of Provalis added, "Coming on
the  back  of  last weeks news about the USA registration
this  is excellent further news for the Company.  We  now
have  global approval for Glycosal within 6 months  from
initial launch - we believe this must be a record for any
British Healthcare Company.  I must also congratulate our
partners Bio-Rad who have provided such excellent support
to  us.   We  are  now looking forward  to  a  prosperous
relationship as the product begins to make sales in  both
the USA and Japan in addition to the markets in which the
product is already sold.

Provalis  Internet Website ; http://www.provalis.com

"Safe  Harbor" Statement under the US Private  Securities
Litigation  Reform  Act of 1995:   Some  or  all  of  the
statements in this document that relate to future  plans,
expectations,  events,  performances  and  the  like  are
forward  looking statements as defined in the US  Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Actual results
of events could differ materially from those described in
the  forward  looking  statements due  to  a  variety  of
factors,  including  those set forth  in  Provalis  plc s
filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

For further information:-

John Curtis, Managing Director, Provalis Diagnostics Ltd
Tel: 01244 833542
Dr Phil Gould, Chief Executive Officer, Provalis plc
Tel:  01244 833463
Lisa Baderoon, Buchanan Communications 
Tel: 020  7466 5000

Notes to Editors

Provalis  PLC (LSE.PRO and NASDAQ.PVLS) is an  integrated
healthcare company with three separate divisions  focused
on  the  supply  and sale of prescription medicines,  the
development  and global sale of medical diagnostics,  and
the  development  of new therapeutic  products,  such  as
vaccines to combat infectious diseases.

The three divisions are:-

     Healthcare  - This Division carries on  the  supply,
     sale   and   marketing  of  branded,  third   party,
     prescription  medicines  in  the  UK  to  GP s   and
     Hospitals  through its own regionally managed  sales
     force.   Its current product range includes products
     for  use  in  the medical areas of gastroenterology,
     osteoporosis, migraine and dermatology.
     
     Medical Diagnostics - This Division carries  on  the
     development and sale of medical diagnostic  products
     for  sale  to  global markets through  a  number  of
     distributors.   The  Division has recently  launched
     the  innovative  diagnostic products  Glycosal  and
     Osteosal, in the areas of diabetes and osteoporosis
     respectively,  and  has  a  worldwide  franchise  in
     medical diagnostic products for infectious diseases.
     
     Therapeutic  Research & Development - This  Division
     carries   on  the  development  of  new  therapeutic
     products,    including   vaccine   candidates    for
     infectious diseases.  A number of vaccine candidates
     are at the pre-clinical stage.

Glycosal

Glycosal  brings to the "point-of-care" the  most  widely
used laboratory test in diabetes management offering  the
prospect  of  lower  cost, more immediate  assessment  of
control and adjustment of therapy.  The key facts are:

*  Glycosal will immediately compete in the  current
   100m laboratory test market for HbA1c by bringing the
   test to the "point of care".
*  HbA1c market currently valued world-wide as $800m to
   $1bn
*  Glycosal is a simple four minute test for glycated
   haemoglobin
*  For use by diabetic clinics, G.P.s and nurses at the 
   "point-of-care"
*  Glycosal(TM) is certified by the European Reference
   Laboratory
*  Tighter control of diabetes is associated with the
   reduction of risk of debilitating long term complications
*  Diabetic complications include blindness,
   amputation, cardio vascular disease and increased risk of
   stroke
*  These complications reduce the average life
   expectancy of the diabetic by 15 years. Each 1% reduction
   in HbA1c level reduces this risk by 25%.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.

Bio-Rad   Laboratories   Inc.  (www.bio-rad.com)   is   a
multinational  manufacturer  and  distributor   of   life
science  research  products,  clinical  diagnostics   and
analytical  instrumentation with a network of  25  wholly
owned subsidiaries serving over 70 countries. The company
is  based  in Hercules California and employs  over  2500
people   worldwide.  In  October  1999  Bio-Rad  acquired
Pasteur  Sanofi  Diagnostics whose  sales  in  1998  were
approximately $210 million. Bio-Rad s sales in  the  year
ending Dec. 31st 1999 were $549.5 million. Sales for  the
combined  company  are estimated to be $722  million  per
annum.
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