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Leading International Pharmaceutical Companies Choose AtCor to Assess Central Blood Pressure in Major Clinical Trials
SphygmoCor(R) System Provides Vital Information About Drug Effects Undetectable Through Traditional Cuff Blood Pressure Monitoring
| Source: AtCor Medical Holdings Ltd.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA and LISLE, IL--(Marketwire - July 19, 2007) - AtCor Medical Holdings
Limited (ASX : ACG ), the developer and marketer of the SphygmoCor® system,
which non-invasively measures central blood pressures, today announced that
it has signed agreements with three leading international pharmaceutical
companies to supply SphygmoCor systems and clinical trial support services
for new and ongoing drug trials in Europe and the United States. The total
value of the contracts is approximately US $1.8 million.
"These contracts further validate the value of our SphygmoCor® technology
for clinical trial applications," said Duncan Ross, AtCor Medical Chief
Executive Officer. "The clinical trial market is one of our primary focuses
for the SphygmoCor® system and we are delighted to have these pre-eminent
companies in our growing customer base."
"New academic research, such as the CAFE and Strong Heart studies, has
served to increase awareness of our technology and the importance of
noninvasive central blood pressure monitoring, among the pharmaceutical,
clinical and research communities," added Ross. "There were over 30
scientific poster sessions incorporating SphygmoCor monitoring presented by
scientists from the U.S., Europe and Asia at the 2007 American Society of
Hypertension (ASH) Annual Scientific Meeting, and the number of SphygmoCor
studies published in international medical journals in the past year has
been similarly impressive."
Recently the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of
Cardiology issued guidelines highlighting what major studies have shown:
noninvasive central blood pressure assessment reveals important drug
effects that cannot be detected by traditional cuff blood pressure
measurements. These studies show that elevated central pressure is a
superior predictor of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and
strokes. This information is vital in clinical trials and patient care.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. AtCor's SphygmoCor
system is the only FDA-cleared, non-invasive method to measure central
pressures. Central blood pressure comprises the pressure exerted by the
heart's contraction, plus the added pressure, which is reflected back at
the heart during that heart-beat. This combined pressure, the pressure the
heart pumps against, is increased by arterial stiffening and can be reduced
with lifestyle changes and drug therapies.
About AtCor Medical
AtCor Medical develops and markets products for the early detection and
management of cardiovascular disease. More than 1,000 SphygmoCor systems
are currently in use worldwide at major medical institutions research
institutions and in various clinical trials with leading pharmaceutical
companies. AtCor has operations in Australia, the United States, and
Europe. For further information, please visit our web site at
www.atcormedical.com