CryoLife lays off 105 employees, restates earnings

ATLANTA - CryoLife Incorporated laid off a quarter of its employees because of a government-ordered recall of human tissue products for implants. <br> <br> Spokesman John Deaver said most of the 105 workers who were dismissed Tuesday were tissue-processing technicians. <br> <br> CryoLife, the nation&#39;s largest supplier of living human tissue for implantation, is being investigated by the federal Securities and Exchange Commission. <br> <br> In August, the federal Food and Drug Administration ordered the Atlanta-based company to recall all soft tissue processed since October third, a month before a Minnesota man died from tainted tissue he was given in a knee operation. <br> <br> The FDA also has recommended that doctors consider other sources for human heart valves. <br> <br> Costs associated with the recall more than wiped out CryoLife&#39;s second quarter profit. The company said Wednesday it lost $5.5 million, or 28 cents per share in the period.