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Biotech / Medical : CardioThoracic Systems (CTSI) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Bob Jagow who wrote (164)	3/18/1998 8:33:00 AM
From: Pierre Borczuk	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 207

Trying to keep thread alive: Note this can be used in minimally invasive and regular valve surgery Wednesday March 18, 8:00 am Eastern Time Company Press Release SOURCE: CardioThoracic Systems, Inc. CardioThoracic Systems Has Exclusive Rights to New Patent for Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery CUPERTINO, Calif., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- CardioThoracic Systems, Inc. (CTS) (Nasdaq: CTSI - news) announced today that it has worldwide exclusive rights to a recently issued patent covering a novel stapling and fastening tool for cardiac valve surgery. The patent was issued to CardioVascular Technologies, LLC, CTS' development partner in the minimally invasive valve surgery area. The two companies are working together on developing enabling technology for fastening currently available heart valves without sutures and are conducting animal studies with this new platform. Commenting on the new patent, Paul Spence, M.D., cardiac surgeon and associate professor of surgery for Jewish Hospital Healthcare, said, ''Because smaller incisions reduce a surgeon's ability to maneuver around the heart, a new generation of tools is needed to fasten valves to heart tissue. The CTS system should allow surgeons to operate through small incisions and attach a valve to the heart. The quick and reliable procedures made possible by the CTS system will likely become a standard for both traditional and minimally invasive valve surgeries.'' Richard Ferrari, CTS president and CEO stated, ''CTS has been funding this important technology for two years. It is rewarding that a patent has been issued, but even more important is our initial, successful use of the prototype instruments in animals. CTS believes this technology will be important in standardizing the performance of valve replacement procedures through small incisions, providing a key advancement in the field of minimally invasive valve surgery.'' CardioThoracic Systems, Inc., Cupertino, Calif., is a leading developer of proprietary technologies in minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery. The company's current products 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 success of the company's development efforts and animal studies, market acceptance of the company's products and procedures and the capabilities of the CTS instrumentation and methods. 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 most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 1997. Copies of the Annual Report on Form 10-K are available by calling the company's investor relations department at 408-342-1700. SOURCE: CardioThoracic Systems, Inc.