Biosense Webster Reinforces its Leadership Position in the Electrophysiology Market at Heart Rhythm 2010

DIAMOND BAR, California, May 13, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Biosense Webster, Inc. will underline its leadership position in the electrophysiology market and underscore its commitment to electrophysiologists and their catheter ablation practices at the 2010 Heart Rhythm Meeting. Heart Rhythm is the most important scientific meeting in the field of Electrophysiology and will be held in Denver, CO, USA from May 12th to 15th.

This year, Biosense Webster, Inc. will be showcasing its cutting edge product pipeline and constant innovation. Over the past few months, the company has launched significant products and ground breaking innovations into the Electrophysiology marketplace, with the most recent being the European release of the new ThermoCool(R)SF catheter. In the past few months, the company has launched its pioneering new 3D mapping platform, the Carto(R) 3 System and NaviStar(R) and Celsius(R) RMT ThermoCool(R) Catheters around the globe.

"We are gaining significant momentum with our Carto(R) 3 system around the world," said Shlomi Nachman, President, Biosense Webster. "Our installed base is ramping up extremely quickly with EP labs across the globe". "We are looking forward to unleashing the true blockbuster potential of the Carto(R) 3 System as more and more labs switch over to the new Carto(R) System platform and many upgrade from their current Carto(R) XP System.

"The Carto(R) 3 System is an exciting technology that represents a major step forward for electrophysiologists. I was especially impressed with the Fast Anatomical Mapping [FAM] feature with the Lasso(R) NAV Circular Variable Mapping Catheter. I was able to create a map quickly and the accuracy was excellent," said Vivek Y. Reddy, M.D., Director, Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, The Zeng and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute, The Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health. Dr. Reddy is also Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "In addition, I was very happy with the way in which the system merged with our CT scans and my whole lab team definitely enjoys the new quick system set up - the Connection of Choice(TM), as it is termed, is a breath of fresh air and allows my team to have access to Biosense Webster's full line of diagnostic catheters, including their recently launched new 20 pole diagnostic catheter."

Biosense Webster also holds the unique and enviable position of being the only company in the entire field of Electrophysiology with an FDA approved catheter for Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib as it is more commonly known as. The NaviStar(R) ThermoCool(R) Catheter, including its bidirectional EZ Steer(R) Catheter platform, was approved by the US Food & Drug Administration on February 6th, 2009 for the safe and effective treatment of drug refractory recurrent symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation when used with the Carto(R) System.

The one year data from the Biosense Webster trial was recently published as the lead article in the January 27th issue of JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) where the study (A comparison of Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy and Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation in patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Controlled Trial by Wilbur et al) highlighted that patients with the most common heart rhythm disorder, Atrial Fibrillation, who were treated with catheter ablation using the NaviStar(R) ThermoCool(R) Catheter demonstrated significantly better outcomes at one year compared to those receiving antiarrhythmic drug therapy. In addition, the patients treated with catheter ablation reported markedly fewer symptoms and substantially improved quality of life.

"We are proud to offer electrophysiologists so many products and services focused on catheter ablation, with the aim of helping our customers treat patients with cardiac arrhythmias," continued Nachman. "At this year's Heart Rhythm, we will be showcasing our market leading product portfolio and reinforcing our passion for excellence in knowledge, education, and innovation in the electrophysiology marketplace that we have helped build over the past 25 years."

Biosense Webster is committed to ensuring that electrophysiologists have the information they need to provide optimal ablation diagnosis and therapy to hundreds of thousands of patients around the world.

"The beauty of our focus in ablation is that we do more than just arrhythmia management. We offer solutions-real and lasting solutions that can help doctors change the lives of more and more patients every single day," Nachman concluded.

About Biosense Webster, Inc.

Biosense Webster, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, pioneered electrophysiology diagnostic catheters more than 30 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.'s technology includes the largest installed base of navigation systems worldwide in leading hospitals and teaching institutions. With its proprietary products the company is changing the way electrophysiologists diagnose and treat arrhythmias.

    Contact:
    Ulrike Domany
    Director Public Affairs & Communication EMEA
    +43-1-36025-396
    +43-664-83-504-83

SOURCE Biosense Webster, Inc.