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Exhibit 99.1
Friday June 2, 10:02 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Data Critical Corporation
Aether Systems and Data Critical Form Strategic Partnership to Include Wireless
Health Care Technology Integration and Development, Marketing Alliance and
Equity Investment
BOTHELL, Wash., and OWINGS MILLS, Md., June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Critical
Corporation (Nasdaq: DCCA - news), a leader in wireless communication in health
care and Aether Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: AETH - news) a leading provider of
wireless data systems and services announced today that the companies have
signed an agreement to enter into an alliance for technology integration and
development, strategic marketing programs and an equity investment by Aether in
Data Critical.
The financial terms of the agreement include an initial $10 million purchase of
Data Critical stock, priced at yesterday's closing price, with an option for up
to an additional $10 million investment. Proceeds from the purchase will be used
primarily for product development, marketing, and distribution enhancement.
"We are very excited about this investment and partnership with Data Critical, a
leader in wireless health care solutions," said Dave Oros, chairman and chief
executive officer of Aether. "This agreement will enable us to fulfill one of
our key strategic objectives of expanding our services into the health care
market. Data Critical's technology for physicians and nurses both in and out of
the hospital is very impressive as illustrated by the excellent partnerships
that the company has developed."
Under terms of the agreement, Data Critical will be a preferred health care
solutions partner for Aether, offering Aether access to its market-leading
portfolio of wireless and medical products used in charting, prescriptions, and
transmitting diagnostic data and vital signs. Aether will be the exclusive
wireless services provider for Data Critical in the U.S., providing wireless
network services, devices, and customer support. In addition, Aether will work
with Data Critical to provide wireless connectivity to support Data Critical's
suite of healthcare software solutions.
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"The breadth and quality of wireless data services that Aether provides will
help Data Critical accelerate the achievement of our vision of providing high
value clinical applications within health care, one of the most mobile segments
of the wireless market," said Jeffrey S. Brown, president and chief executive
office of Data Critical. "This agreement fortifies our strategy to be the market
leader in wireless health care."
Aether's network services and Data Critical's full range of clinical products
will be available through Data Critical's Internet platform, unwiredDr.com,
allowing physicians to access, purchase and use comprehensive clinical
information from one source.
"We believe that clinicians, and especially physicians, will adopt and benefit
from our clinical tools designed with the mobile medical workflow in mind," said
Brown. "Physicians will use clinical applications that are relayed through
tools with which they already are comfortable, such as pagers and cell phones."
He added that professionals in the health care community were among the first to
adopt these communication tools.
Under the financial terms of the agreement signed Friday, Aether will purchase
$10 million in Data Critical stock at $8 1/8 per share, the closing price for
Data Critical common stock on June 1, 2000.
After Aether's investment, Data Critical will have approximately $38 million in
cash and cash equivalents prior to the exercise of the option.
About Data Critical Corporation
Data Critical Corporation develops and distributes wireless and Internet systems
for communicating critical healthcare data. The company offers StatView(TM),
AlarmView(TM) and FlexView(TM), a line of wireless alarm notification products
for hospitals. It also provides MobileView(TM) and ECGStat(TM), a line of
wireless products for physicians as well as WebChart(TM), an Internet-based
solution for physician charting. Data Critical's physician products are
available through a single Internet platform, unwiredDr.com. The company has
more than twenty partnerships with industry leaders such as Agilent
Technologies, Boston Scientific, drugstore.com, Edwards Lifesciences, GE
Marquette, Medtronic Physio-Control, Nellcor Puritan Bennett (Mallinckrodt) and
Siemens Medical Systems. Data Critical has sold more than 330 wireless alarm
notification systems to nearly 200 U.S. hospitals. Additional information about
Data Critical is available at www.datacritical.com.
About Aether Systems, Inc.
Aether Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless and mobile data services
allowing real-time communications and transactions across a full range of
devices and networks. Using its engineering expertise, the Aether Intelligent
Messaging (AIM) software platform, the ScoutWare? family of products (resulting
from the acquisition of Riverbed Technologies, Inc.) and its network operations
and customer service center, Aether Systems seeks to provide comprehensive,
technology-independent wireless and mobile computing solutions. Aether develops
and delivers wireless data services across a variety of industries and market
segments in the United States and internationally. Aether is a joint principal
owner, along with 3Com Corp., of OmniSky, Inc., a wireless Internet service
provider based in Palo Alto, Calif. Aether headquarters are located at 11460
Cronridge Dr., Owings Mills, MD 21117. Additional information about Aether is
available at www.aethersystems.com.
Except for the historical information presented, the matters discussed in this
press release are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the effect of the Aether
partnership on Data Critical's business, dilution from the Aether investment in
Data Critical and other risks described in Data Critical's periodic
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filings with the SEC, including its 10K and registration statement on Form S-1
that was declared effective on November 8, 1999. These risks and other risk
factors are described under the caption, "Risk Factors" in Aether's most
recently filed prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Aether
undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in
this press release.
Copies of Data Critical's and Aether's public disclosure filings with the SEC
are available from the investor relations departments of the respective
companies.
