Healthcare Industry News: Microvolt T-Wave Alternans
News Release - June 23, 2008
Cambridge Heart Licenses Technology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Patent Covers Measurement of T-Wave Alternans from Implantable DevicesTEWKSBURY, Mass.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Cambridge Heart, Inc. (OTCBB: CAMH ), today announced that it has licensed United States Patent 7,336,995 "Method and Apparatus for Tachycardia Detection and Treatment" from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under the terms of its umbrella technology license agreement with MIT. This broad patent covers the use of implantable devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators to measure T-Wave Alternans from intra-cardiac signals, and to subsequently initiate therapy in order to prevent the development of arrhythmias which may lead to sudden cardiac death. Implantable defibrillators currently treat such arrhythmias only after they have been initiated, typically with a high-energy shock. A strategy to predict such rhythms before they occur could allow for preventive strategies, potentially avoiding imminent symptomatic episodes with the delivery of painless therapies.
"This patent is an important addition to Cambridge Heart's intellectual property portfolio and provides coverage for a potentially valuable application of T-Wave Alternans technology in implantable therapeutic devices," said Ali Haghighi-Mood, CEO of Cambridge Heart, Inc. “We plan to explore strategic relationships to capitalize on the value of this IP.”
About Cambridge Heart, Inc.
Cambridge Heart (www.cambridgeheart.com) is engaged in the development and commercialization of products for the non-invasive diagnosis of cardiac disease, particularly the identification of those at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. The Company's products incorporate its proprietary Microvolt T-Wave Alternans measurement technologies, coupled with its patented Spectral Analytic Method and ultra-sensitive disposable electrode sensors. Only Spectral Analytic Method MTWA tests are reimbursed by Medicare under its National Coverage Policy that covers patients with a wide variety of cardiac symptoms. Other major insurers in the USA also have coverage policies for the test. The T-Wave Alternans test is included in the Guideline for Management of Patients with Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death jointly developed by the American College of Cardiology (ACC), The American Heart Association (AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The Company, founded in 1990, is based in Tewksbury, Massachusetts and is traded on the OTCBB under the symbol CAMH.
About the Cambridge Heart Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Test
The Cambridge Heart Microvolt T-Wave Alternans Test measures a specific extremely subtle pattern of beat-to-beat fluctuations in a person's electrocardiogram. This pattern of fluctuations is called T-wave alternans. These tiny variations in the electrocardiogram - measured at one millionth of a volt accuracy – are most commonly measured during a sub-maximal exercise stress test in the doctor’s office or hospital outpatient setting. The preparation for the test consists of placing proprietary sensors on the patient's chest. Extensive clinical research has shown that those patients who are at risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia that test positive for Microvolt T-Wave Alternans are at increased risk for sudden cardiac death, while those who test negative are at reduced risk.
Statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, we use words such as “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “estimates”, “could”, and similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause or contribute to such differences include failure to achieve broad market acceptance of the Company’s MTWA technology, failure to achieve broad market acceptance of the Company's MTWA technology, failure of our sales and marketing partner to market our products effectively, inability to hire and retain qualified clinical applications specialists in the Company's target markets, failure to obtain or maintain adequate levels of third-party reimbursement for use of the Company's MTWA test, customer delays in making final buying decisions, decreased demand for the Company's products, failure to obtain funding necessary to develop or enhance our technology, adverse results in future clinical studies of our technology, failure to obtain or maintain patent protection for our technology and other factors identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K/A under “Risk Factors”, which is on file with the SEC and available at www.EDGAR.com. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent our estimates only as of today and should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any subsequent date. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so except as may be legally necessary, even if our estimates should change.
Source: Cambridge Heart
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