DANVERS, Mass., Feb. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Abiomed, Inc . (NASDAQ: ABMD ), a leading provider of breakthrough heart support technologies, is proud to support February’s American Heart Month. Throughout the month, the company is sharing stories of patients with heart failure and cardiogenic shock, as it works to advance the science of heart recovery and provide patients with innovative therapies. Abiomed is maker of Impella ® , the world’s smallest heart pump.
“Heart month is an opportunity to draw attention to advances in technology and protocols that are saving and improving lives, while renewing our focus on the unique challenges that exist in treating women with cardiovascular disease, America’s top killer,” said Michael R. Minogue, Abiomed President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “As the only developer of percutaneous heart pumps that allow the heart to rest and recover its native function, we are committed to helping reduce the growing impact of heart failure in America and around the world.”
Throughout the month Abiomed is spotlighting patients successfully treated with Impella including three young women who will be recognized at Boston’s Go Red for Women luncheon on Friday, February 24 th . After the event, the survivors will visit the Abiomed production teams that made their Impella devices.
- Christine Alber, 26, suffered from symptoms that were thought to be bronchitis before collapsing and being found unconscious at home. Physicians discovered she had a complete heart block and was in cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock occurs when the heart suddenly cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to the body’s vital organs like the brain and kidneys and they start to shut down. Ms. Alber received Impella heart pump so her heart could rest and recover. After rehabilitation to re-learn tasks like getting out of bed and walking, she has returned to her daily and active life, including exercising, traveling and designing handbags.
- Michelle Kellim, 38, was a healthy, active wife and mom of two young children who went into cardiogenic shock in her sleep. Support from Impella heart pump gave Ms. Kellim’s heart a chance to rest and ultimately recover. Today, she continues to raise her family, live an active lifestyle, and work with the American Heart Association to spread awareness about heart recovery.
- Brenda Dively, a 48-year-old pre-kindergarten teacher, awoke feeling ill. She continued to go to work but on the weekend she deteriorated. Brenda’s husband called 9-1-1 and an ambulance team confirmed she was having a heart attack. In intensive care, Brenda coded and required CPR and shock to regain a pulse. The next day, her doctor implanted the Impella CP ® while he placed two stents (while Brenda was conscious). The following week, Brenda went to cardiac rehab and returned home two weeks later. At the time of her event, Brenda’s Ejection Fraction was less than 20%. After a recent echo, her EF is now at 50-55%. Brenda is also back at work with the kids.
“These women, and the thousands of others who have been treated with Impella, continue to inspire us each day to advance care for high-risk heart failure patients. We are committed to treating these patients who are our sisters, mothers, daughters and we need to provide them with the treatments that focus on the ultimate goal of native heart recovery,” said Minogue.
In recent months, Abiomed has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for new indications for its Impella line of heart pumps. In Dec. 2016, the Impella CP® device was approved for use in elective and urgent high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Impella devices received approval in April 2016 for use in treating cardiogenic shock after heart attack or heart surgery.
Impella is smaller than the width of a pencil and is inserted percutaneously, delivering 2.5 to 5 liters of blood flow per minute to the heart. It is the only FDA-approved percutaneous hemodynamic support device determined to be safe and effective for the treatment of elective and urgent high risk patients, and for those in cardiogenic shock.
For more information about heart failure, treatment with Impella and patient stories, visit ProtectedPCI.com , Abiomed on Facebook or @AbiomedImpella on Twitter.
Founded in 1981 in Danvers, Massachusetts, Abiomed develops and manufactures Impella, a line of the world's smallest heart pumps that are inserted minimally invasively in a hospital catheterization lab without the need for surgery. The Impella heart pumps are in over 1,200 U.S. hospitals and are used in 98% of the top U.S. heart hospitals.
ABOUT IMPELLA The Impella 2.5®, Impella CP® and Impella 5.0® are FDA-approved to treat heart attack patients in cardiogenic shock, and have the unique ability to enable native heart recovery, allowing patients to return home with their own heart. The Impella 2.5 and Impella CP® are also approved to treat certain advanced heart failure patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) such as stenting or balloon angioplasty, to re-open blocked coronary arteries. Abiomed's right-side heart pump, the Impella RP®, is approved to treat certain patients experiencing right heart failure.
The Impella line of heart pumps is not right for all patients. Speak to your cardiologist to determine whether treatment with an Impella device is right for you. To learn more about the Impella platform of heart pumps, including their approved indications and important safety and risk information associated with the use of the devices, please visit: www.ProtectedPCI.com .
The ABIOMED logo, ABIOMED, Impella, Impella CP, and Impella RP are registered trademarks of Abiomed, Inc. in the U.S. and in certain foreign countries. Impella 2.5, Impella 5.0, and Recovering hearts. Saving lives. are trademarks of Abiomed, Inc. ABOUT ABIOMED Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, Abiomed, Inc. is a leading provider of medical devices that provide circulatory support. Our products are designed to enable the heart to rest by improving blood flow and/or performing the pumping of the heart. For additional information, please visit: www.abiomed.com .
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding development of Abiomed's existing and new products, the Company's progress toward commercial growth, and future opportunities and expected regulatory approvals. The Company's actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements based upon a number of factors, including uncertainties associated with development, testing and related regulatory approvals, including the potential for future losses, complex manufacturing, high quality requirements, dependence on limited sources of supply, competition, technological change, government regulation, litigation matters, future capital needs and uncertainty of additional financing, and other risks and challenges detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
For further information please contact: Adrienne Smith Senior Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications 978-646-1553 adsmith@abiomed.com Ingrid Goldberg Director, Investor Relations 978-646-1590 igoldberg@abiomed.com
