Cardica's Cardiac Anastomosis Device Featured in Clinical Presentation on Robotic Cardiac Bypass Procedures

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Sept. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardica, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRDC) today reported that its C-Port® Flex-A® Anastomosis System will be featured in a clinical presentation to cardiothoracic surgeons this afternoon at the East Carolina Heart Institute-International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ECHI-ISMICS) Summit in Greenville, North Carolina. The presentation, entitled "Robotic Coronary Revascularization: Connectors and Pearls," will be given by nationally-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, Husam Balkhy, M.D., director of the Center for Robotic and Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery at The Wisconsin Heart Hospital, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

"Dr. Balkhy has been using our anastomosis systems to attach the bypass graft vessels during minimally invasive cardiac surgery, for many years, with remarkable success," said Bernard A. Hausen, M.D., Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Cardica, Inc. "This presentation offers other cardiothoracic surgeons the opportunity to see first-hand the difference between a connector bypass procedure using our automated anastomosis device compared to hand-sewing the anastomosis."

The presentation details how Dr. Balkhy uses Cardica's C-Port systems to perform a connector procedure, including selection of graft vessels, a description of the features and benefits of the C-Port system, and the mechanics of deployment during connector procedures on a beating heart in the closed chest setting, also known as a totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) procedure. In addition, Dr. Balkhy's use of the C-Port systems is described in the current peer-reviewed issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery in an article entitled "Integrating Coronary Anastomotic Connectors and Robotics Toward a Totally Endoscopic Beating Heart Approach: Review of 120 Cases." Dr. Balkhy is a recognized expert in the field of minimally invasive and robotic cardiothoracic surgery and has pioneered the connector procedure. He has trained physicians around the world on his technique using Cardica's C-Port Flex-A System.  

About Cardica

Cardica designs and manufactures proprietary stapling and anastomotic devices for cardiac and laparoscopic surgical procedures. Cardica's technology portfolio is intended to minimize operating time and enable minimally-invasive and robot-assisted surgeries. Cardica manufactures and markets its automated anastomosis systems, the C-Port® Distal Anastomosis Systems and PAS-Port® Proximal Anastomosis System, for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and has shipped over 36,000 units throughout the world. In addition, Cardica is developing the Cardica MicroCutter XPRESS™ 30, a true multi-fire laparoscopic stapling device designed to be used in a variety of procedures, including bariatric, colorectal, thoracic and general surgery. The Cardica MicroCutter products require 510(k) review and are not yet commercially available in the U.S.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking" statements, including all statements regarding the performance of the C-Port Systems during robotic cardiac bypass procedures. Any statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. The words "offers," "intended" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause Cardica's results to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including that Cardica's current and any future products may never gain any significant degree of market acceptance; that any future Cardica products face development, regulatory, reimbursement and manufacturing risks; that Cardica's intellectual property rights may not provide adequate protection; that Cardica's sales, marketing and distribution strategy and capabilities may not be sufficient or successful; and that general business and economic conditions may impair Cardica's ability to market and develop products, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in Cardica's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report filed on for 10-Q. Cardica expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein. You are encouraged to read Cardica's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.sec.gov.

SOURCE Cardica, Inc.