Covington Associates Announces Role in Sale of Vortex Medical to AngioDynamics.

Boston, MA – October 16, 2012 – Covington Associates, LLC announced its role as financial advisor to Vortex Medical, Inc., which focuses on the development of innovative medical devices for the removal of thrombus, or blood clots, from occluded blood vessels. Covington acted as M&A advisor on Vortex Medical’s sale to AngioDynamics Inc. (Nasdaq:ANGO).

Based in Norwell, Massachusetts, Vortex is currently commercializing the AngioVac system, which includes the AngioVac Cannula and Circuit. These two disposable devices, when combined with other manufacturers’ filters, pumps and return cannula, comprise an extracorporeal bypass circuit that facilitates drainage, filtration and reinfusion of blood for up to six hours. The AngioVac Cannula has a proprietary balloon-actuated, expandable, funnel-shaped distal tip that enhances flow, prevents clogging of the cannula and facilitates en bloc removal of undesirable intravascular material. Both the AngioVac Cannula and Circuit are FDA-cleared, and an application has been filed for CE Mark approval.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, AngioDynamics will acquire all the outstanding capital stock of Vortex Medical for $15 million in cash at closing plus $40 million of guaranteed earn-out payments. In addition there is the potential for future earn out payments based on net sales of the AngioVac system over a 10 year period.

“The agreement to acquire Vortex further demonstrates our strategy to focus our investments on innovative, differentiated products that offer the potential for sustainable, profitable growth,” said Joseph M. DeVivo, President and CEO of AngioDynamics. “The AngioVac system has the potential to become a gold standard of care. Unlike currently available pharmacomechanical alternatives, the minimally invasive, en bloc removal of intravascular material has the potential to reduce the risk of complications associated with major open surgery, internal bleeding and clot fragmentation. We believe the AngioVac system presents opportunities for wide anatomical application, and has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and to reduce the overall cost of providing treatment. Within five years, we believe AngioVac has the potential to achieve more than $50 million of annual net revenue.”

“We believe AngioDynamics to be the ideal partner for the AngioVac system,” added Michael Glennon, founder and CEO of Vortex Medical. “AngioDynamics has demonstrated their ability to successfully commercialize innovative vascular solutions, and we believe AngioVac will be highly synergistic with AngioDynamics’ full complement of other venous and angiographic products.”

Ben Dunn, Managing Director of Covington Associates and advisor to Vortex said, “Vortex represents a great case study of how to build a successful medical device company using a capital efficient business model. Mike Glennon and his partners developed their innovative product through judicious use of strategic outsourcing. This enabled them to rapidly and efficiently develop their product and have the capability to manufacture production volumes to address the market opportunity.”

About Vortex Medical:
Founded in 2008, Vortex Medical, Inc. is a medical device company focused on the design, development and commercialization of novel endomechanical devices for the endovascular market. The AngioVac Cannula represents the first product offered by Vortex Medical with FDA clearance in 2009 for use as a venous drainage cannula during extracorporeal bypass for up to 6 hours. The AngioVac Circuit is the second FDA cleared product with an indication for use during procedures requiring extracorporeal circulatory support for up to 6 hours.

For more information, please visit www.angiovac.com

About AngioDynamics:
AngioDynamics, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative, minimally invasive medical devices used by professional healthcare providers for vascular access, surgery, peripheral vascular disease and oncology. AngioDynamics’ diverse product lines include market-leading ablation systems, fluid management systems, vascular access products, angiographic products and accessories, angioplasty products, drainage products, thrombolytic products and venous products.

For more information, please visit www.angiodynamics.com

About Covington Associates LLC
Covington Associates is a specialty investment banking firm founded in 1991 serving business service, consumer, industrial, healthcare, and technology companies throughout the country. Focused on mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity capital raising, debt and equity restructuring, and strategic advisory assignments for middle market companies, Covington Associates has completed transactions ranging in value from $10 million to nearly $2 billion for both private and publicly traded companies.