MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 15, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kips Bay Medical, Inc. (OTCQB:KIPS), a medical device company focused on manufacturing and commercializing its external saphenous vein support technology, eSVS® Mesh, for use in coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG, surgery, today announced that its common stock began trading on the OTCQB Marketplace on September 12, 2014.
Operated by the OTC Markets Group Inc., the OTCQB is a market tier available to OTC traded companies that are registered and reporting with the Securities and Exchange Commission and meet certain initial and ongoing bid price requirements. The Company's shares will continue to trade under the symbol "KIPS" on the computerized OTCQB system. Investors will be able to view Level II Real Time stock quotes for Kips Bay at www.otcmarkets.com.
Manny Villafaña, Chairman and CEO of Kips Bay Medical Inc., stated, "We expect our common stock to continue to be actively traded on the OTCQB Marketplace. We intend to operate and report as a public company and do not believe that this development will affect our ongoing clinical trials."
As previously disclosed, on September 3, 2014, the Company received a letter from The NASDAQ Stock Market informing the Company that since it had not timely regained compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing, the Company's common stock would be subject to delisting unless the Company timely requested a hearing before the NASDAQ Hearings Panel. As the Company determined not to appeal the Staff's determination, the Company's common stock was suspended from trading on NASDAQ on September 12, 2014, at which time the Company's common stock began trading on the OTCQB.
About the eSVS Mesh
The eSVS Mesh is designed to be fitted like a sleeve on the outside of saphenous vein grafts to strengthen SVGs used in coronary artery bypass graft surgery. By strengthening the SVG and preventing the damaging expansion of the vein graft, the Company hopes to reduce or prevent the resulting injury which can lead to SVG failure and potentially costly and complicated re-interventions for patients undergoing CABG surgery. The eSVS Mesh is manufactured from nitinol wire which gives the eSVS Mesh considerable strength, while remaining highly flexible and kink-resistant. Additional information about the eSVS Mesh and the Company's feasibility trial are available at the Company's website at www.KipsBayMedical.com and in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
About Kips Bay Medical
Kips Bay Medical, Inc. is a medical device company focused on manufacturing and commercializing its external saphenous vein support technology, the eSVS Mesh, for use in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Kips Bay originally acquired the eSVS Mesh technology from Medtronic, Inc. in 2007. Additional information about Kips Bay is available at the Company's website at www.KipsBayMedical.com.
About OTC Markets Group
OTC Markets Group Inc. operates Open, Transparent and Connected financial marketplaces for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. To learn how OTC Markets Group creates better informed and more efficient financial marketplaces, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link® ATS is operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC and SEC registered Alternative Trading System.
Forward-Looking Statements Safe Harbor
Statements contained in this release that relate to future events are forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations of future events and often can be identified by words such as "continues," "expects," "intends," "should," "will," "may," "believes," "could," "hopes," "anticipates," "objective," "future," other words of similar meaning or the use of future dates. Examples of forward-looking statements in this release include Kips Bay's plans and expectations regarding enrollments, site activations and other aspects of its eMESH I clinical feasibility trial; the effect of recent changes in the application of the eSVS Mesh and to the surgical implant technique; and the safety, performance and benefits of the eSVS Mesh. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Uncertainties and risks may cause Kips Bay's actual results to be materially different than those expressed in or implied by Kips Bay's forward-looking statements. For Kips Bay, such uncertainties and risks include, among others, the status of the eMESH I clinical feasibility trial, including enrollment, completion and the results; Kips Bay's future operating results and financial performance; market size and market acceptance of the eSVS Mesh technology; the ability of Kips Bay and its distributors to commercialize and sell the eSVS Mesh in Europe; and its ability to obtain additional financing. More detailed information on these and other factors that could affect Kips Bay's actual results are described in Kips Bay's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Kips Bay undertakes no obligation to update its forward-looking statements.
Contact:
Kips Bay Medical, Inc.
Manny Villafaña, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, +1-763-235-3540
Email: Manny.Villafana@KipsBayMedical.com
or
Scott Kellen, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, +1-763-235-3540
Email: Scott.Kellen@KipsBayMedical.com