Echo Therapeutics Hires Two Seasoned Medical Device and Diagnostics Executives

FRANKLIN, Mass., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Echo Therapeutics, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ECTE), a company developing the Symphony™ tCGM System as a non-invasive, wireless, transdermal continuous glucose monitoring (tCGM) system and the Prelude™ SkinPrep System for transdermal drug delivery, today announced that John Garibotto and Kenneth Gary, who collectively have nearly fifty years of medical device and diagnostics experience, have joined Echo Therapeutics' senior management team as part of the company's plan to accelerate the development of the Symphony System and other new products contemplated in the Company's growth strategy.

John Garibotto joins as Vice President of Operations. In this newly created position, he will oversee Echo's product development, engineering, manufacturing, regulatory and quality functions.  

Kenneth Gary joins as Vice President of Research, clinical and new products. He will oversee new product research activities and the design and execution of supporting clinical trials. 

"John's and Ken's significant experience in complete product development from ideation to final FDA approval of medical devices and diagnostics will ensure the aggressive product development and successful clinical validation of our Symphony tCGM System," said Patrick T. Mooney, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Echo Therapeutics. "We are extremely pleased to have such highly valuable, successful and seasoned industry veterans join the Company as we move toward our final goal of FDA marketing clearance of Symphony.  We plan to leverage their deep domain expertise as Echo looks to broaden its product pipeline over the coming year."

Mr. Garibotto has 23 years of medical device experience with a proven track record of building and leading large multi-disciplinary teams through ideation, regulatory approval, commercialization and mass manufacture.  Most recently Mr. Garibotto was a co-founder of Insulet Corp. where he served as Vice President of R&D and Engineering.  At Insulet, he led the development and commercialization of the OmniPod Insulin Management System, a new class of product for the delivery of insulin, which has gained international acceptance.  Mr. Garibotto holds a B.S. in Industrial Technology from the University of Massachusetts and a Masters in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

Mr. Gary has more than 25 years of experience in the design and development of sensor-based diagnostics and data connectivity systems for the point-of-care and diabetes markets.  As R&D Venture Director for Abbott Diabetes Care, he led the design and development of hospital-based point-of-care and consumer diabetes testing systems.  As General Manager of Breathquant Medical, Mr. Gary led the design and successful clinical trials for Breathquant's novel low-cost diagnostic system for the rapid detection of pulmonary embolism.  Mr. Gary holds a B.S. in Bioengineering and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia University and an MBA from Boston University.

About Echo Therapeutics

Echo Therapeutics is developing the Symphony tCGM System as a non-invasive, wireless, transdermal continuous glucose monitoring system for patients with diabetes and for use in hospital critical care units.  Echo is also developing its needle-free Prelude SkinPrep System as a platform technology for enhanced skin permeation for delivery of topical pharmaceuticals.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to regulatory approvals and the success of Echo's and its partners' ongoing studies, including the efficacy of Echo's Symphony tCGM and Prelude SkinPrep Systems, the failure of future development and preliminary marketing efforts related to Echo's Symphony tCGM and Prelude SkinPrep Systems, Echo's ability to secure additional commercial partnering arrangements, risks and uncertainties relating to Echo's and its partners' ability to develop, market and sell diagnostic and transdermal drug delivery products based on its skin permeation platform technologies, including the Symphony tCGM and Prelude SkinPrep Systems, the availability of substantial additional equity or debt capital to support its research, development and product commercialization activities, and the success of its research, development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies, including those plans and strategies related to its Symphony tCGM and Prelude SkinPrep Systems. These and other risks and uncertainties are identified and described in more detail in Echo's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and its current reports on Form 8-K. Echo undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

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SOURCE Echo Therapeutics, Inc.