Trinity Biotech Retains OTC Communications to Lead Comprehensive Investor Relations Campaign

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BW HealthWire)--May 5, 1998--Trinity Biotech plc (NASDAQ:TRIBY) announced today that it has retained OTC Communications Corp. of Needham, Massachusetts to direct its financial communications and shareholder relations campaign.

Trinity Biotech provides a broad range of advanced diagnostic tests for three major sectors of the healthcare industry. Recent healthcare trends display a shift from centralized (hospital) care delivery to over-the-counter and point-of-care delivery. Additionally, spiraling healthcare costs have created a demand for inexpensive products. Trinity's accurate and easy to use diagnostic tests accommodate both of these changes by providing on-site tests at fractional prices.

``Here is a company with all of the fundamentals in place,'' said Geoffrey J. Eiten, president of OTC Communications. ``Trinity has achieved a dramatic uptrend for sales and earnings at a record pace while maintaining a solid financial position with $3 million in cash and short term investments. The Company's two recent acquisitions provide for consolidated operations which will further improve profit margins.

``As for industry fundamentals and market positioning,'' Eiten continued, ``Trinity is well positioned to capitalize on the evolving state of the multi-billion dollar healthcare industry with a superior and expansive product line as well as key relationships with some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.''

Ronan O'Caoimh, chairman and chief executive officer of Trinity Biotech, said, ``We have experienced unprecedented financial growth over the past year and a half, and we are confident that we can achieve similar results in the upcoming years. During 1997, Trinity evolved from selling six products with one FDA approval to 90 products with 80 approvals, attained profitability, increased its global presence, and made two acquisitions.

``These developments led us to believe that Trinity is even more exciting to the investment community,'' added O'Caoimh. ``Thus, we recognized the importance of contracting an investor relations firm as reputable as OTC Communications to adequately relay our continuing success story.''

OTC Communications Corp. of Needham, Massachusetts is a full service financial communications and investor relations firm which specializes in the representation of small-cap companies.

Trinity Biotech plc develops, manufactures, and markets over 90 diagnostic products for the point-of-care (POC), self testing (OTC), and clinical laboratory segments of the diagnostic market. The Company's diagnostic tests detect infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders such as HIV, (more) rubella, herpes simplex, measles, adenovirus, rotavirus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Trinity sells worldwide in over 65 countries through international distributors and strategic partners such as Warner Lambert, Carter Wallace, SmithKline Beecham, Bayer Diagnostic.

Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the ``safe harbor'' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the results of research and development efforts, the effect of regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration and other agencies, the impact of competitive products, product development commercialization and technological difficulties, and other risks detailed in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

     Trinity Biotech plc         OTC Communications Corp.
     Jonathan O'Connell          Robert M. Joyce
     800-603-8076                781/444-6100, ext 11
     www.trinitybiotech.com      888-32-TRIBY (87429) ext 11
                                 bobj@otcfn.com