MINNEAPOLIS, March 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ATS Medical,
Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art
cardiac surgery products and services today announced that Health
Canada-Medical Device Bureau, Therapeutic Products Programme has
approved commercialization of the ATS Simulus® Annuloplasty Product
Line for valve repair.
(Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040202/ATSILOGO)
The Simulus product portfolio includes flexible, semi-rigid and
adjustable annuloplasty rings and bands for use in mitral and
tricuspid valve repair. Valve repair, as opposed to valve
replacement, has been established as the gold standard of therapy
for diseased or damaged mitral valves. Simulus annuloplasty
products are unique in that they are designed to provide
physiologic support for the repaired valve, adapting to the natural
movement of the heart in the cardiac cycle. In addition, the
Simulus product line provides excellent handling characteristics
that are recognized and appreciated by cardiac surgeons.
This approval expands the growth opportunity for ATS Medical in
Canada and is further complemented
by the addition of a new distribution partner, Canadian Hospital
Specialties, Limited. This privately owned firm has
established a significant base of business in the healthcare market
throughout Canada. They have
formed a new cardiac surgery division and have added three
experienced cardiac surgery specialists focused on driving the
adoption of the ATS product portfolio.
"ATS looks forward to collaboration with Canadian Hospital
Specialties to introduce the ATS Simulus product line to the
Canadian surgical community," stated Michael Dale, President and CEO of ATS Medical.
"This new partnership will allow us reach key opinion leaders in
cardiac surgery and more fully penetrate the Canadian marketplace,"
he concluded.
About ATS Medical
ATS Medical, Inc. is dedicated to 'Advancing The Standards' of
cardiac surgery through the development, manufacturing and
marketing of innovative products and services for the treatment of
structural heart disease. ATS Medical serves the cardiac surgery
community by focusing on two distinct but operationally synergistic
market segments: heart valve disease therapy and surgical ablation
of cardiac arrhythmias.
ATS was originally founded to develop the ATS Open Pivot® Heart
Valve as a new mechanical heart valve standard of care. Today the
ATS Open Pivot Heart Valve is the preferred mechanical heart valve
in many markets around the world and the fastest growing mechanical
prosthesis in the market. Building on this legacy and addressing
the largest market segment in heart valve therapy, the ATS 3f®
brand encompasses an innovative tissue heart valve portfolio to
address conventional open surgery requirements as well as the
growing demand for less invasive sutureless based procedures. The
ATS 3f® portfolio includes offerings at various stages including
early product development, pivotal clinical trials, and market
commercialization. Completing the portfolio in heart valve therapy
is the ATS Simulus® annuloplasty product line. Simulus products
assist the surgeon in repairing a patient's native heart valve as
an alternative to replacement. Continuing ATS Medical's focus on
serving the cardiac surgery community are the ATS CryoMaze®
products for surgical cryoablation of cardiac arrhythmias. ATS
CryoMaze® products are used by surgeons to treat patients suffering
from cardiac arrhythmias, the largest and fastest growing form of
structural heart disease in populations over 60 years of age. The
ATS Medical web site is http://www.atsmedical.com.
Cautionary Statements
This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that may
include statements regarding intent, belief or current expectations
of the Company and its management. Actual results could differ
materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements
as a result of a number of important factors, including the results
of clinical trials, the timing of regulatory approvals, the impact
of pending healthcare reforms, regulatory actions, competition,
pricing pressures, supplier actions and management of growth. For a
discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could
affect the Company's activities and results, please refer to the
Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009.
SOURCE ATS Medical, Inc.