ATLANTA, March 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CardioMEMS, Inc., an Atlanta-based medical technology company that has developed and is commercializing a proprietary wireless sensing and communication technology for the human body, today announced that it has been chosen as one of the Top 10 Innovative Technology Companies by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).  TAG, the state's leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia's technology industry, will recognize the prestigious group of ten companies at the 2011 Georgia Technology Summit (GTS) on March 23, 2011, at the Cobb Galleria.

The coveted Top 10 Innovative Technology Company Awards recognize Georgia-based companies for their innovation, their financial impact, and their efforts at spreading awareness of Georgia's technology initiatives throughout the U.S. Each company will be given the opportunity to introduce their technology to the hundreds in attendance at GTS.

"CardioMEMS is a true leader in Georgia's medical technology marketplace, and is revolutionizing the field of cardiology with innovative products like the Champion™ wireless heart failure sensor," said Tino Mantella, president & CEO of TAG. "We are proud to highlight the most pioneering businesses in our state, like CardioMEMS, that are focused on delivering ground-breaking products and services to Georgia and beyond. By cultivating these companies, Georgia will become a destination of choice for technology, education, research, and business."

CardioMEMS' Champion wireless heart failure sensor is an innovative miniature device that is implanted into the patient's pulmonary artery using a simple, catheter-based procedure. The pulmonary artery pressure is then measured and displayed using the CardioMEMS proprietary electronic monitoring system. Following the procedure, patients perform wireless measurements of their pulmonary artery pressure from home. The pressure data is immediately transmitted to a secure database and is available for review by the implanting physician on the CardioMEMS proprietary website.

"We are honored to be recognized among our peers for advancing innovation in medical technology," said Jay Yadav, M.D., founder and CEO of CardioMEMS and an interventional cardiologist. "The pro-business climate in our state, fostered by associations like TAG, is a big reason we have been so successful as a company. Moreover, TAG's support and promotion of Georgia's technology community has led directly to the parity we are experiencing with other big technology hubs around the U.S. today."

"The competition for Top 10 recognition was particularly fierce this year, which speaks to the rapid expansion of Georgia's technology community," said Dennis Zakas, a partner and founder of Zakas & Leonard, LLP and chairperson of the Top 40 Selection Committee. "We are proud to recognize this year's winners and thank them, and all Georgia technology companies, for their contributions to our reputation as a top state for technology business."

The Georgia Technology Summit is TAG's flagship event that brings together C-level executives, entrepreneurs, technology professionals and academia to celebrate and recognize Georgia's technology community. This year's theme, Innovation Next Generation, will address how to leverage social networking to reach buyers and how they are incorporating these tools in the workplace.

For more information about TAG and the Georgia Technology Summit, visit http://www.tagonline.org/georgia-technology-summit.php.  

About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)

TAG is a leading technology industry association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of the state's technology industry. TAG provides leadership in driving initiatives in the areas of policy, capital, education and giving, and also brings the technology community together through events, initiative programs and networking opportunities. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 27 special interest groups, or societies, including Women in Technology (WIT). Additionally, TAG's charitable arm, the TAG Education Collaborative, is focused on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive. For more information visit the TAG website at www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at www.TAGthink.com.

About CardioMEMS, Inc.

CardioMEMS is a medical device company that has developed and is commercializing proprietary wireless sensing and communication technology for the human body. The Company's technology platform is designed to improve the management of severe chronic cardiovascular diseases such as aneurysms, heart failure and hypertension. CardioMEMS miniature wireless sensors can be implanted using minimally invasive techniques and transmit cardiac output, blood pressure and heart rate data which are critical to the management of patients. The sensors are designed to be permanently implanted into the heart and blood vessels due to their small size, durability and lack of wires and batteries. Using radiofrequency (RF) energy, the sensors transmit real-time data to external electronic readers, which then communicate this information to the patient's physician. The Company developed this technology based on the belief that frequent, on-demand, real-time monitoring of vital information enables proactive patient management, which holds the promise of reducing hospitalizations, improving a patient's quality of life and delivering more efficient and cost effective health care. More information about the CardioMEMS is located at www.cardiomems.com.

Statements made in this press release that look forward in time or that express beliefs, expectations or hopes regarding future occurrences or anticipated outcomes are forward-looking statements. A number of risks and uncertainties such as risks associated with product development and commercialization efforts, expected timing or results of any clinical trials, ultimate clinical outcome and perceived or actual advantages of the Company's products, market and physician acceptance of the products, intellectual property protection, and competitive offerings could cause actual events to adversely differ from the expectations indicated in these forward looking statements.

CardioMEMS and the CardioMEMS logo are registered trademarks of CardioMEMS, Inc. Champion is a trademark of CardioMEMS, Inc.

SOURCE CardioMEMS, Inc.