MONTVALE, N.J., Oct. 22, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Datascope Corp. (Nasdaq:DSCP) announced today that Datascope Japan K.K. will manage Datascope's Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP) business in Japan when Edwards Lifesciences Ltd., the current distributor, exits that business in Japan at the end of the calendar year, as part of that company's continued efforts to focus on its critical care business. Datascope Japan K.K., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Datascope Corp., was formed to expand Datascope's overall business in Japan.
Datascope Japan K.K. will be responsible for import, product service, sales support, and product surveillance of the IABP business. USCI Holdings Ltd., one of the premier medical device distribution organizations in Japan, will be responsible for sales distribution throughout Japan. USCI will give Datascope comprehensive sales coverage throughout Japan. Michael D. Van Zandt, President and CEO of USCI Japan and COO of USCI Holdings commented, "This is a major step towards achieving our vision of becoming a global company for the global vasculature. Our holding group is quite strong in interventional cardiology, cardiac rhythm disease management and cardiac surgery. The Datascope Cardiac Assist product line fits perfectly with our strategic focus, and will help us service our two most important stakeholders, cardiac care physicians and their patients."
Nino Laudani, Datascope's Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, said, "Edwards Lifesciences has been an excellent business partner to Datascope in Japan for many years, dedicated to high standards of business practice. On behalf of Datascope, I wish to thank Edwards Lifesciences and their staff for helping to grow our IABP business in Japan. The USCI sales organization will build upon the strong foundation that Datascope's IABP business enjoys in the Japanese market. Datascope Japan K.K. gives us a broader focus on potential opportunities for growth in the large Japanese market."
IABP counterpulsation therapy is used for patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures, cardiopulmonary bypass, and for patients in acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock. IABP therapy is deeply rooted in clinical practice, saving tens of thousands of lives throughout the world each year. Known clinically as simply "the balloon pump," a balloon deployed in the aorta is pumped in synchronism with the patient's heart, providing a two-fold assist to the heart: (1) reducing the workload of the heart, and (2) increasing perfusion to the arteries of the heart, brain and other vital organs.
About Datascope
Datascope Corp. is the global leader of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation and a diversified medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets proprietary products for clinical health care markets in interventional cardiology and radiology, cardiovascular and vascular surgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine and critical care. The Company's products are sold throughout the world through direct sales representatives and independent distributors. Founded in 1964, Datascope is headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey. For news releases, webcasts and other Company information please visit Datascope's website, www.datascope.com.
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About USCI Holdings
USCI Holdings, Ltd. is the parent company to USCI Japan, MC, and MedCare. USCI Holdings is dedicated to servicing physicians and patients with best-in-class interventional cardiology, cardiac rhythm disease management and cardiac surgery technologies throughout Japan. Please visit the USCI website at www.usciholdings.com.
About Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences, a leader in advanced cardiovascular disease treatments, is the number-one heart valve company in the world and the global leader in acute hemodynamic monitoring. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Edwards focuses on specific cardiovascular disease states including heart valve disease, peripheral vascular disease and critical care technologies. The company's global brands, which are sold in approximately 100 countries, include Carpentier-Edwards, Cosgrove-Edwards, FloTrac, Fogarty, LifeStent, PERIMOUNT Magna and Swan-Ganz. Additional company information can be found at http://www.edwards.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these risks cannot be predicted or quantified, and are at least partly outside our control, including the risk that Datascope Japan K.K. will not give us a broader focus on potential opportunities for growth in the large Japanese market, as well as other risks detailed in documents filed by Datascope with the Securities and Exchange Commission.