
Boston Scientific And Target Therapeutics
Announce Agreement To Merge

Natick, Mass. and Fremont, Calif. (January 20, 1997)--Boston
Scientific Corporation (NYSE:BSX) and Target Therapeutics, 
Inc. (NASDAQ:TGET) today jointly announced the signing 
of a definitive agreement to merge in a tax-free stock-for-stock 
transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion.  
Under the merger agreement, unanimously approved by 
the boards of both companies, Target Therapeutics' 
stockholders would receive 1.07 shares of Boston Scientific 
common stock in exchange for each share of Target Therapeutics 
common stock.

Target Therapeutics, Inc., headquartered in Fremont, 
California, designs, develops, manufactures and markets 
catheter-based disposable and implantable medical devices 
used in minimally invasive procedures to treat neurovascular 
diseases and disorders.  The Company's products are used 
to treat diseased, ruptured or blocked blood vessels in 
the brain responsible for stroke.  One of these products, the 
Guglielmi Detachable Coil (GDC) system, is used to treat 
and prevent the rupture of cerebral aneurysms.  The GDC is 
the only device today approved by the FDA for treatment of 
inoperable or high risk intracranial aneurysms.  Stroke 
currently affects over 600,000 Americans annually and 
is the third leading cause of death in the United States.  
The Company is a global leader in interventional 
neuroradiology with over 60% of its revenues coming 
from international markets.

Commenting on the merger, Pete Nicholas, Chairman 
and Chief Executive Officer of Boston Scientific, noted, 
"Target Therapeutics has become the clear leader in the 
emerging market for minimally invasive treatment of neurovascular 
disease.  Its impressive product line and technology base 
combined with Boston Scientific's technology platform 
will represent the broadest and deepest product offering 
and technology base in the world for the less invasive 
treatment of vascular disease (cardiovascular, peripheral 
vascular, and neurovascular).  The two companies have 
complementary research and development programs which 
should enhance our ability to innovate within the broad spectrum 
of interventional medicine."

"Target Therapeutics will become a separate business unit of 
Boston Scientific and will continue to be headquartered 
in Fremont, California."

Gary Bang, President and Chief Executive Officer of 
Target Therapeutics, added, "The strategic fit with Boston 
Scientific is obvious.  Boston Scientific is clearly a global 
leader in less invasive medicine.  Interventional neuroradiology 
continues to emerge as a significant segment of less invasive 
medicine.  The combined resources of the two companies 
will allow for an acceleration in the development of new and 
even more advanced technologies."

The merger is expected to close during the second calendar 
quarter of 1997 and is subject to the approval of shareholders 
of Target Therapeutics and regulatory approval.  Goldman, 
Sachs & Co. is serving as financial advisors to Target Therapeutics 
and has issued a fairness opinion to the Target Therapeutics 
board of directors with respect to the proposed combination.  
Lehman Brothers is serving as financial advisors to Boston 
Scientific.  It is anticipated that the combination will be 
accounted for as a pooling-of-interests.

Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer 
and marketer of medical devices whose products are used 
in a broad range of interventional medical specialties.

Contact:
Larry Best
Boston Scientific Corporation
508-650-8450

Robert E. McNamara
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
510-440-7644


