EXHIBIT 99


                           VISKASE COMPANIES, INC. ANNOUNCES
                    COURT OF APPEALS DECISION ON PATENT LITIGATION

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, August 1, 2001 - Viskase Companies, Inc. ("VCIC") today
announced that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has
rendered its decision in the patent litigation Viskase Corporation v.
American National Can.  The Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court's
decision in part, reversed the decision in part and remanded the case back to
the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.  Under an agreement
reached last year among the parties, Viskase Corporation was paid $54.75
million in partial settlement and agreed not to pursue the patent litigation
further if the monetary damages award was not affirmed in its entirety.
Accordingly, Viskase Corporation will not receive any additional payments
under the agreement and no further legal proceedings will take place.

F. Edward Gustafson, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the
Company stated, "While we do not agree with the Court of Appeals' decision,
it is important to put this litigation behind us and focus on growing our
cellulosic and plastic casings business."

Viskase Companies, Inc. has its major interests in food packaging.  Principal
products manufactured are cellulosic and plastic casings used in the
preparation and packaging of processed meat products.

                                         ###