Independent Study Reports 50% Smaller Carbon Footprint With NxStage System One™ vs. Standard In-Center Hemodialysis Machines

LAWRENCE, Mass., Feb. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- NxStage® Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTM), a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today commented on a recent independent study which reports that home hemodialysis with the NxStage System One™ has less than half the carbon footprint of therapy conducted with traditional in-center hemodialysis machines.

"Efficient use of natural resources while delivering superior clinical results is a core competency of NxStage. Through an innovative product design, the System One is giving thousands of patients the ability to access the improved clinical and quality of life benefits possible with more frequent hemodialysis, without any plumbing or electrical changes," said Jeffrey H. Burbank, Chief Executive Officer, NxStage Medical, Inc.  "NxStage is delighted that hemodialysis with the System One sets the highest bar to date for sustainability in hemodialysis."

In the study, "The carbon footprints of home and in-center maintenance hemodialysis in the United Kingdom," published in the January issue of Hemodialysis International, lead author Dr. Andrew Connor, Department of Renal Medicine at Derriford Hospital in Derriford, Plymouth, UK, examines the greenhouse gas emissions of in-center hemodialysis (ICHD), home hemodialysis performed using traditional in-center hemodialysis machines, and home hemodialysis performed with the NxStage System One.  For each maintenance treatment, researchers investigated the emissions factors for energy, medical equipment, "construction" (installation and maintenance of equipment), patient travel, and clinical waste to determine the carbon footprints of each modality.  Annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were expressed in tons of CO2 per year.

When reviewing the modalities, data show that three-times weekly in-center hemodialysis (ICHD) has a carbon footprint of 3.8 tons of annual GHG emissions, with the majority of the emissions resulting from the medical supplies and packaging (37 percent), building energy use (21 percent) and patient travel to and from the dialysis center (20 percent). Meanwhile, the three-hour treatments on a 5 to 6 days a week schedule using the NxStage System One has a carbon footprint of 1.8 tons GHG emissions annually—less than half of three times weekly ICHD.  Moreover, NxStage emissions were 75% lower than frequent home hemodialysis regimen using traditional dialysis machines, which had carbon footprints of 5 to 7 tons of annual GHG.

Efficient use of natural resources while delivering superior clinical results is also important in the design of other products in the NxStage portfolio.  For example, NxStage – through its Medisystems® division – offers the Streamline® bloodline for in-center hemodialysis use.  Streamline is designed to have a lower internal volume, lower resistance to flow, and lower weight and therefore less medical waste generation. The airless blood tubing system is designed to use 25 percent less water to deliver the same dose and reduces plastic and paper waste by more than 30 percent compared to conventional blood tubing sets.

About NxStage Medical

NxStage Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTM) is a medical device company, headquartered in Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA, that develops, manufactures and markets innovative systems for the treatment of end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, and acute kidney failure. NxStage is leading the development of the home hemodialysis market in the US with the only portable hemodialysis machine, the System One, cleared for home use by the FDA.  The above-referenced article makes reference to nocturnal therapy.  Please note that there are no systems that are currently specifically indicated for nocturnal therapy in the home, and that NxStage System One does not have a specific indication for nocturnal use in the United States. For more information on NxStage and its products, please visit the company's website at http://www.nxstage.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this release that are not clearly historical in nature are forward-looking, and the words "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond NxStage's control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance or achievements including those factors that may affect future operating results and which are detailed in NxStage's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.

In addition, the statements in this press release represent NxStage's expectations and beliefs as of the date of this press release. NxStage anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause these expectations and beliefs to change. However, while NxStage may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing NxStage's expectations or beliefs as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

SOURCE NxStage Medical, Inc.