Holding(s) in Company

Aortech International PLC
17 April 2008


TR-1(i): NOTIFICATION OF MAJOR INTERESTS IN SHARES


1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of existing shares to which
   voting rights are attached (ii):

   AorTech International plc

2. Reason for the notification (please state Yes/No): ( )

   An acquisition or disposal of voting rights: ( Yes )
   An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the
   acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached: ( )
   An event changing the breakdown of voting rights: ( )
   Other (please specify): ( )

3. Full name of person(s) subject to the notification obligation (iii):

   The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3.) (iv):

   Goldman, Sachs & Co.
   Goldman Sachs International

5. Date of the transaction (and date on which the threshold is crossed or
   reached if different) (v):

   15 April 2008

6. Date on which issuer notified:

   17 April 2008

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or reached:

   9%

8. Notified details:


A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares Situation previous to the Triggering transaction
if possible using                          (vi)
the ISIN CODE
                      Number of shares  Number of voting Rights (viii)
GB0033360586                   420,987                           8.71%


Resulting situation after the triggering transaction (vii)

Class/type of       Number of      Number of voting    % of voting rights
shares if            shares           rights (ix)
possible using
the ISIN CODE
                                    Direct    Indirect     Direct Indirect
                                       (x)        (xi)
GB0033360586                       427,987      18,000      8.86%    0.37%

B: Financial Instruments

Resulting situation after the triggering transaction (xii)
Type of     Expiration Date  Exercise/Conversion Number of voting     % of voting
financial   (xiii)           Period/Date (xiv)   rights that may be   rights
instrument                                       acquired if the
                                                 instrument is
                                                 exercised/
                                                 converted.
N/A         N/A              N/A                 N/A                  N/A


Total (A+B)
 Number of voting rights  % of voting rights
                 445,987               9.23%


9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the
   financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable (xv):

   The interest in 18,000 shares arose from an interest held by Goldman, Sachs &
   Co., a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of GS Inc, acting as custodian for its
   customers. These shares are, or will be, registered in the name of Goldman Sachs
   Securities (Nominees), Limited.

   The interest in 427,987 shares arose from a beneficial interest held by Goldman
   Sachs International, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of GS Inc. These shares
   are, or will be, registered at CREST in account CREPTEMP.

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of the proxy holder:

    N/A

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

    N/A

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

    N/A

13. Additional information:

    General email contact:

    [e-mail]

14. Contact name:

    Sean Rogers / Alan Cox

15. Contact number:

    0207 552 9205 / 0207 774 8774





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