Diamond Bar, CA – May 9, 2012 -- Biosense Webster, Inc., the worldwide leader in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, announced today the execution of strategic collaboration agreements with two leading global imaging companies, GE Healthcare and Siemens Healthcare.
The announcement was made during the Heart Rhythm Society’s (HRS) 33rd Annual Scientific Sessions. HRS 2012, the largest global conference for electrophysiologists, is being held in Boston from May 9-12, 2012.
Biosense Webster, Inc. has developed an image integration solution for electrophysiology (EP) labs around the world. This solution integrates real-time x-ray images, from Siemens Healthcare and GE Healthcare X-Ray systems, into the company’s market leading Carto® 3, 3D Electroanatomical Mapping & Ablation System. Under the terms of the two agreements, Biosense Webster, Inc. plans to offer an integrated solution, compatible with both manufacturers’ fluoroscopy systems, in 2012.
“Minimizing x-ray exposure for patients and clinicians has long been a focus of healthcare technology manufacturers,” said Shlomi Nachman, Worldwide President, Cardiovascular Care franchise. “These two important strategic agreements will allow Biosense Webster to address the growing need to combine multiple images from different systems in the EP lab into a single display on our Carto® 3 System.”
These latest agreements mark a significant step towards Biosense Webster, Inc.’s vision of providing a comprehensive integrated lab solution to electrophysiologists and hospitals around the world. GE Healthcare and Siemens Healthcare collectively, represent over 50% of the installed base of X-Ray systems across the globe
“These strategic collaborations and the resulting technology advancements, continue our commitment to bringing innovation to the Cardiac Electrophysiology community so they may better serve their patients and protect themselves,” said Nachman.
About AF and cardiac ablation
Atrial Fibrillation is the most prevalent arrhythmia, and is a leading cause of stroke among people 65 years and older. Worldwide, it is estimated that 20 million people have AF, yet only approximately 130,000 are treated with ablation every year. The public health implications of AF are a growing concern because those with AF are at an increased risk of morbidity and mortality as well as a reduced quality of life.
Most patients with AF today are treated with anti-arrhythmic drugs (AADs), even though about half of them are refractory to these drugs. During cardiac ablation, energy is delivered through the catheter to those areas of the heart muscle causing the abnormal heart rhythm. This energy “disconnects” the pathway of the abnormal rhythm. Cardiac ablation is a very common treatment for “simple” arrhythmias, like Wolff-Parkison-White Syndrome and atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT), and is increasingly being used for more complex arrhythmias like ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. In the US, ThermoCool® Navigation Catheters are approved for drug refractory recurrent symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, when used with Carto® Systems (excluding NaviStar® RMT ThermoCool® Catheter).
About Biosense Webster, Inc.
Biosense Webster, Inc., pioneered EP diagnostic catheters more than 20 years ago and continues to lead the industry as an innovative provider of advanced diagnostic, therapeutic, and mapping tools. As the leader in navigation systems and ablation therapy, Biosense Webster, Inc. has technology that includes the largest installed base of navigation systems worldwide in leading hospitals and teaching institutions. For more information about Biosense Webster and its products, please visit: www.biosensewebster.com (this site is intended for US visitors only).
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Biosense Webster, Inc.and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; economic factors, such as interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approvals; challenges to patents; changes in behavior and spending patterns or financial distress of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to governmental laws and regulations and domestic and foreign health care reforms; trends toward health care cost containment; and increased scrutiny of the health care industry by government agencies. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Exhibit 99 of Johnson & Johnson’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2012.Copies of this Form 10-K, as well as subsequent filings, are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Neither Biosense Webster, Inc. nor Johnson & Johnson undertake to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events or developments.