Company Press Release
CardioThoracic Systems Launches Poem Study
First Multicenter Study in Minimally Invasive Bypass Surgery
CUPERTINO, Calif., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- CardioThoracic Systems, Inc. (CTS) (Nasdaq:CTSI) today announced the launch of the POEM (Patency, Outcomes and Economics of MIDCAB) Study. POEM is the first multicenter controlled study comparing minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) with traditional coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedures.
``The POEM Study represents the first large scale prospective, controlled comparison of the patency of the MIDCAB and CABG procedures,'' said Dr. Michael Mack, of Columbia Hospital, Medical City, Dallas. In addition, procedural efficacy, patient outcomes, recovery times and hospitalization costs will be captured and compared. The Study will be funded in part through dedicated fellowships and grants provided by CTS. The first patients have already been enrolled.
Dr. Marco Zenati, Director of the Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery Program at Presbyterian University Hospital, commented, ``The launch of the multicenter POEM study is the signal that MIDCAB is becoming a mature surgical technique ready to be tested against more traditional and time-honored forms of therapy.''
``The POEM Study represents a critical step in validating the MIDCAB concept and should serve as a bridge to future important clinical trials, undoubtedly leading to a much broader application of the MIDCAB approach in patients with complex coronary artery disease,'' said Dr. Martin B. Leon, Director of Cardiovascular Research and Education at Washington Hospital Center.
``Clinical data presented at this week's TCT (Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics) Conference on coronary revascularization demonstrated patency of 98% for the MIDCAB procedure in two separate large single center studies. We expect this significant clinical data to be strengthened by the results of our multicenter POEM Study and will serve to further validate the benefits of minimally invasive techniques in bypass surgery,'' said Richard Ferrari, CTS president and chief executive officer.
CardioThoracic Systems, Inc., Cupertino, Calif., is a leading developer of proprietary technologies in minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery. The company's current products are designed to enable cardiothoracic surgeons to perform minimally invasive bypass surgery on a beating heart. CTS is also developing technologies in the areas of minimally invasive valve repair and replacement and saphenous vein harvesting. The company's stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol CTSI.
This news release contains forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties associated with the results and effects of the POEM Study, the reliance on favorable clinical data, clinical adoption of the MIDCAB procedure, availability and market acceptance of the company's new products, and competitive products and procedures. Actual results may differ significantly from the results discussed in the forward- looking statements as a result of those and other factors, including factors set forth in the company's annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 1997 and the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 8, 1997. Copies of the annual report on Form 10-K and the amended quarterly report on Form 10-Q are available by calling the company's investor relations department at 408-342-1700.
For more information on CardioThoracic Systems, Inc. via fax at no cost, dial 800-PRO-INFO (908-544-2850 outside the U.S.), ticker symbol: CTSI.
SOURCE CardioThoracic Systems, Inc. |
