RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- CLOSURE Medical Corporation
(Nasdaq: CLSR) today announced that Dennis D. Burns, 52, has been named to
serve as General Manager of CLOSURE's newly formed Absorbable Cohesive
Technology (ACT) Division, a "strategic business unit" of  CLOSURE Medical
Corporation focused on the research and development of absorbable tissue
cohesive products for internal use based on proprietary cyanoacrylate
technology.
    During his thirteen years as an executive with Johnson & Johnson,
Mr. Burns served as Vice President of Business Development at Ortho Biotech,
Inc., Director of Operations of the Ortho Immunobiology Division where he
oversaw commercial development of the first FDA-approved monoclonal antibody
(OKT-3) and Director, New Products, J & J Health Care, where he launched ACT
Fluoride Rinse.  More recently Mr. Burns was founder of The Delta Group, a
healthcare consulting company, CEO of Macronex, Inc., and President of
EpiGenesis Pharmaceuticals.
    "The ACT Division will focus CLOSURE's efforts on the development of
analytical methods, in-vitro testing and in-vivo studies to establish the
characteristics of our absorbable formulations that are intended for internal
use," said Mr. Robert V. Toni, President and Chief Executive Officer.
    CLOSURE Medical recently leased a separate 5,100 square foot laboratory
facility in which the General Manager and scientific team of the ACT Division
will work on the development of absorbable cohesive formulations.
    "I am excited about the potential of CLOSURE's unique absorbable cohesive
technology for use in important surgical procedures.  As Vice
President/General Manager of the new Division, I am looking forward to working
with the excellent CLOSURE team as we target the opportunities for internal
wound closure and surgical sealants around the world," said Mr. Burns.
    The formation of the ACT Division enables the core business of CLOSURE
Medical to remain focused on the topical applications of its proprietary
nonabsorbable cyanoacrylate technology.
    CLOSURE Medical develops, commercializes and manufactures medical cohesive
products based on its proprietary cyanoacrylate technology.
    CLOSURE's nonabsorbable products may be used to replace sutures and
staples for certain topical wound closure applications, while its absorbable
products can potentially be used as surgical sealants and cohesives for
internal wound closure and management.  Currently marketed products include
Octyldent(R), used in conjunction with antibiotics to treat adult periodontal
disease, Nexaband(R), a line of topical cohesives used in veterinary wound
closure and management, and DERMABOND*, a non-absorbable cohesive used for
certain topical wound closure applications, marketed and distributed
exclusively by Ethicon, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

    *DERMABOND is a trademark of Ethicon, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson &
Johnson.

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FAX -- at no cost -- dial 1-800-PRO-INFO.  Use Company's ticker-CLSR.

    This release contains certain forward-looking statements which involve
known and unknown risks, delays, uncertainties or other factors not under the
Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements
of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance, or
other expectations implied by these forward-looking statements.  These factors
include, but are not limited to, the early stage of commercialization of the
Company's products; scale-up of manufacturing processes; the need for
regulatory approval and effects of governmental regulation; technological
uncertainties; dependence on marketing partners; and dependence on patents and
trade secrets, as well as those detailed in the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996 and filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.

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