Talecris

[Guest guest]

This was sent to me...thought some you would be interested in it!!

. Mom to

Blake~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Talecris Enters into Definitive Merger Agreement with CSL

Last update: 7:32 p.m. EDT Aug. 12, 2008

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Aug 12, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Talecris

Biotherapeutics, Inc. ( www.talecris. com) today announced that it

has signed

a definitive merger agreement with CSL under which CSL has agreed to

acquire

Talecris for $3.1 billion in cash. This amount includes net debt,

which as

of June 30, 2008 was approximately $1.2 billion, implying an equity

value as

of that date of about $1.9 billion.

The combination of Talecris and CSL will result in:

-- a combined company with one of the broadest portfolios in the

plasma-derived therapeutics industry with key products in each plasma

therapeutic area;

-- one of the most robust and efficient plasma collection

capabilities in

the industry, to better assure supply of plasma for manufacturing

essential

therapies;

-- expanded and integrated manufacturing with greater efficiency and

improved ability to supply therapies;

-- an enhanced R & D pipeline;

-- operating efficiencies that will facilitate further investment in

R & D,

quality, compliance and plasma collection; and

-- improved and more reliable supply of therapies to patients and

customers

through efficiencies, avoidance of capacity constraints and more

assured

plasma supply.

" We are very pleased to have entered into the merger agreement with

CSL, "

said Lawrence D. Stern, Chairman and CEO of Talecris. " We at Talecris

have

long admired CSL. The opportunity for our employees, customers,

distributors, suppliers--and most importantly our patients--to

benefit from

being part of the CSL family is exciting, and is a testament to the

quality

and strength of Talecris' relationships with its stakeholders. At the

same

time, the transaction represents a good return for our shareholders,

many of

whom are our employees. "

" We believe Talecris has demonstrated a track record of the utmost

integrity

and ethics, and has some of the most widely used, life-enhancing

plasma-derived therapies available, " said Dr. A McNamee, Chief

Executive Officer and Managing Director of CSL. " Patients count on

Talecris

to provide them with the therapies they need. We are committed to

growing

and enhancing the business to the benefit of all stakeholders. "

Closing of the transaction is subject to receipt of certain

regulatory

approvals, as well as other customary conditions. If the necessary

approvals

are not obtained within one year, either CSL or Talecris will have

the right

to terminate the transaction.

Concurrently with execution of the merger agreement, Talecris and CSL

have

also entered into a separate plasma supply agreement under which CSL

will

supply Talecris with a significant amount of plasma through 2013,

which will

help Talecris assure an uninterrupted flow of products to its

customers,

distributors and patients and will also facilitate Talecris' efforts

to

build its plasma supply platform in a measured, quality-compliant

manner.

The additional plasma supply should enable Talecris to increase

supplies of

Gamunex (Immune Globulin Intravenous (Human), 10% Caprylate/Chromatog

raphy

Purified) and other products to the marketplace in the near future.

Stanley and Goldman, Sachs & Co. served as Talecris' financial

advisors in connection with the transaction, and Sullivan & Cromwell

LLP and

Arnold & Porter LLP provided legal advice. CSL was advised by Merrill

Lynch

and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.

About Talecris Biotherapeutics: Inspiration. Dedication. Innovation.

Talecris Biotherapeutics is a global biotherapeutic and biotechnology

company that discovers, develops and produces critical care

treatments for

people with life-threatening disorders in a variety of therapeutic

areas

including immunology, pulmonology, and hemostasis. Talecris is

proudly

building upon a 60-year legacy of innovation and a commitment to

improving

the lives of people who rely on its therapeutic products. With an

emphasis

on scientific inquiry and technological excellence, Talecris is

expanding

its current portfolio of products, programs, and services through its

own

world-class product development organization as well as through

strategic

initiatives that leverage its strengths with those of its partners.

Talecris, with revenues of approximately $1.2 billion in 2007, is

headquartered in biotech hub Research Triangle Park, N.C., and

employs more

than 4,000 talented people worldwide.

Talecris was formed in 2005 by affiliates of Cerberus Capital

Management,

L.P. and Ampersand Ventures, which acquired the former Bayer Plasma

business

from Bayer A.G.

To learn more about Talecris and how our employees are making a

difference

in the lives of patients and the healthcare community, visit

www.talecris. com.

About Gamunex

Gamunex is an IGIV therapy that contains antibodies purified from the

donated blood plasma of thousands of people. Gamunex is indicated as

replacement therapy of primary humoral immunodeficiency disease (PI)

and as

immunomodulatory therapy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

(ITP).

Important Safety Information

Gamunex is contraindicated in individuals with known anaphylactic or

severe

systemic response to Immune Globulin (Human). Immune Globulin

Intravenous

(Human) products have been reported to be associated with renal

dysfunction,

acute renal failure, osmotic nephrosis and death. Patients should be

instructed to immediately report symptoms of decreased urine output,

sudden

weight gain, fluid retention/edema, and/or shortness of breath (which

may

suggest kidney damage) to their physicians. While these reports of

renal

dysfunction and acute renal failure have been associated with the use

of

many of the licensed IGIV products, those containing sucrose as a

stabilizer

accounted for a disproportionate share of the total number. Gamunex

does not

contain sucrose. Glycine, a natural amino acid, is used as a

stabilizer.

There have been reports of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, rare

reports of

hemolytic anemia, and very rare reports of aseptic meningitis in

patients

administered with IGIV. Thrombotic events have been reported in

association

with IGIV. Patients at risk may include those with a history of

atherosclerosis, multiple cardiovascular risk factors, advanced age,

impaired cardiac output, and/or known or suspected hyperviscosity.

The most

common side effects noted during clinical trials included headache,

vomiting, fever, nausea, rash, and back pain.

As with all plasma-derived therapeutics, the potential to transmit

infectious agents cannot be totally eliminated.

For additional information about Gamunex, please see www.gamunex. com

for

Full Prescribing Information.

About Cerberus Capital Management, L.P.

Established in 1992, Cerberus Capital Management, L .P., along with

its

affiliates, is one of the world's leading private investment firms

with

approximately $27 billion under management in funds and accounts.

Through

its team of more than 275 investment and operations professionals,

Cerberus

specializes in providing both financial resources and operational

expertise

to help transform undervalued companies into industry leaders for

long-term

success and value creation. Cerberus is headquartered in New York

City, with

affiliate and/or advisory offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles,

London,

Baarn, furt, Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Osaka and Taipei. More

information on Cerberus can be found at www.cerberuscapital .com.

About Ampersand Ventures

Ampersand is a Boston-based, middle market private equity firm with a

focus

in two core Sectors: Healthcare and Industrial. Within this Core,

Ampersand's strategy emphasizes later stage, growth equity

opportunities

where we can be the first institutional investor. Ampersand's unique

blend

of venture, private equity and operating skills positions us to take

an

active teamwork approach in collaborating with the management teams

of our

portfolio companies. Ampersand's current portfolio investments

include Elmet

Techologies, Endeca, Kortec, Magellan Biosciences, RadPharm and

Talecris.

More information on Ampersand can be found at www.ampersandventur

es.com.

SOURCE: Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc.

Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc.

, 919-316-2430

Fax: 919-316-6377

wendy.wilson@ talecris. com