WEST CHESTER, Pa., Aug. 14 — VWR International, Inc., a

leader in the global research laboratory industry, announced today that it

has entered into a Joint Distribution Agreement with HiMedia Laboratories,

Mumbai, India to support the chemicals and laboratory supplies requirements

of the rapidly expanding pharmaceutical and biotech industry in the

subcontinent.

“The Indian subcontinent is a growth market of strategic importance to

VWR,” said MK Sathya, Vice President, Corporate Initiatives, VWR. “We are

proud to associate ourselves with a respected, high integrity partner such

as HiMedia in bringing high quality laboratory chemicals, lab supplies and

consumables to this market.”

“VWR has a long standing history of being a global leader in the

distribution of Laboratory products in North America and Western Europe,”

said Dr. GM Warke, CEO, HiMedia Laboratories Private Limited. “We are proud

to be selected as VWR’s strategic partner to bring its wide range of high

quality products to the laboratory community in India. Given that VWR is

already an exclusive distributor for HiMedia’s innovative product line of

Hi-Veg(TM) microbiological and cell culture media for North America, it

makes for a strong mutual relationship.”