Healthcare Industry News: V.A.C.
News Release - February 5, 2008
KCI Announces Achievement of German Homecare Reimbursement Milestone for Its Proprietary V.A.C.(R) Therapy System
SAN ANTONIO--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE:KCI ), a global medical technology company with leadership positions in advanced wound care and therapeutic support systems, today announced a milestone toward broadening homecare reimbursement in Germany for its proprietary V.A.C.® Therapy System.The German Ministry of Health has now approved a maximum three-year study period, including paid placements, to assess the clinical and economic benefits of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for patients that can be transitioned out of the hospital for post-acute treatment or for patients whose treatment is initiated in the home. V.A.C. Therapy is widely accepted within the acute care setting in Germany for the treatment of complex, hard-to-heal wounds.
The study program, which will be conducted on a randomized basis, will evaluate the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy utilizing an open-cell polymer foam dressing as the wound interface versus the current standard of care. The dressing to be utilized in the study is unique and proprietary to KCI’s V.A.C. Therapy System. Selected patients will receive V.A.C. Therapy in the home, which will be reimbursed to KCI by German health insurance funds. The study calls for annual progress reports to the Ministry of Health beginning in February 2009. Important next steps for KCI include the continued collaboration with medical societies and key opinion leaders, which broadly support this therapy not only for hospital use but also in the homecare setting.
“We are pleased to report this milestone achievement, which we believe will benefit both patients and the healthcare system in Germany,” said Catherine M. Burzik, President and Chief Executive Officer of KCI. “The decision will allow physicians to treat patients in a lower-cost setting while maintaining improved patient outcomes. We look forward with confidence as we partner with the Joint Federal Committee to provide this important life and limb saving therapy to homecare patients in Germany.”
About KCI
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. is a global medical technology company with leadership positions in advanced wound-care and therapeutic support systems. We design, manufacture, market and service a wide range of proprietary products that can improve clinical outcomes and can help reduce the overall cost of patient care. Our advanced wound-care systems incorporate our proprietary Vacuum Assisted Closure®, or V.A.C.® Therapy technology, which has been demonstrated clinically to help promote wound healing through unique mechanisms of action and can help reduce the cost of treating patients with serious wounds. Our therapeutic surfaces, including specialty hospital beds, mattress replacement systems and overlays, are designed to address pulmonary complications associated with immobility, to prevent skin breakdown and assist caregivers in the safe and dignified handling of obese patients. We have an infrastructure designed to meet the specific needs of medical professionals and patients across all health care settings, including acute care hospitals, extended care organizations and patients’ homes, both in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.kci1.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding German home care reimbursement. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. All information set forth in this release is as of its date, and we undertake no duty to update this information. More information about the company is described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006 and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2007, on file with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Source: Kinetic Concepts
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