Healthcare Industry News: Orqis Medical
News Release - June 21, 2006
Orqis Medical Corporation Announces Data Demonstrating Potential of Novel, Implantable Device for Chronic Heart Failure Management
First Clinical Use Planned First Half of Next YearLAKE FOREST, Calif. and HELSINKI, Finland, June 21 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- Orqis Medical Corporation, a clinical-stage company developing devices for the treatment of heart failure, announced that preclinical use of its Exeleras® System led to substantial increases in ejection fraction, reduction in left ventricular dimensions and reduction of left ventricle end diastolic pressure without hemolysis or thrombosis. The data were presented at a satellite symposium held during the European Society of Cardiology's Heart Failure 2006 meeting in Helsinki.
The Exeleras System, with an implantable pump about the size of an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD), is designed to manage mid- to late- stage chronic heart failure.
"These data suggest an implantable device may offer significant benefits to heart failure patients and provide an important new therapeutic option," said Marvin A. Konstam, M.D., Medical Director, Orqis Medical and Chief of Cardiology at Tufts-New England Medical Center. "This approach addresses the underlying disease process and could be a significant advance in treating heart failure." Orqis expects first clinical implant of the Exeleras System in the first half of next year.
The Exeleras System is Orqis Medical's implantable device designed to treat chronic heart failure patients in an ambulatory setting. "It is encouraging to be so close to the next phase of investigation with the Exeleras System given its potential clinical impact," stated Orqis Medical President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Charhut.
Existing drug treatments have resulted in significant strides, but many patients become refractory to their benefits or develop limiting side effects. Improved therapies are crucial to advancing heart failure treatment, a disease that causes millions of hospitalizations each year and costs the U.S. healthcare system alone more than $27 billion annually.
About Orqis Medical Corporation
Orqis Medical Corporation is a privately held, clinical-stage medical device company seeking to redefine heart failure therapy by developing products that prevent or reverse underlying disease progression and provide new treatment options to the clinical community to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
The company's percutaneous Cancion® System, for the treatment of acutely decompensated heart failure, is CE marked and is currently under an investigational device exemption (IDE) investigation in the United States in the pivotal MOMENTUM Trial. The company's implantable Exeleras® System, about the size of an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD), is designed to treat mid- to late-stage chronic heart failure patients. First clinical use of this system is planned for the first half of 2007. For more information on Orqis Medical, please visit: www.orqis.com and for the MOMENTUM Trial, please visit: www.momentumtrial.com.
NOTE: Orqis, Cancion, and Exeleras are among the trademarks or registered trademarks of Orqis Medical Corporation.
Source: Orqis Medical
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