First DuraHeart(TM) Left Ventricular Assist System Implanted in the U.S. Piv...( ANN ARBOR Mich. Aug. 6 /- Terumo ...),Health

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Terumo Heart, Inc. announced that the first U.S. implant of the DuraHeart(TM) Left Ventricular Assist System (LVAS) took place on July 30 at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The surgery was performed by Francis Pagani, M.D., Ph.D. National Co-Principal Investigator for the DuraHeart U.S. Pivotal Trial. DuraHeart is the world's first third generation left ventricular assist system combining a centrifugal pump with a magnetically levitated impeller to enter clinical trials in the U.S.

"The DuraHeart gives us a new, third-generation option for patients with advanced heart failure who need help to allow them to survive until they can receive a heart transplant," says Pagani, who leads the U-M Center for Circulatory Support.

Chisato Nojiri, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer for Terumo Heart, Inc., said, "The first patient in the United States is an important initial step in the pivotal trial. This patient is the 71st patient worldwide since the DuraHeart European investigational trials began in 2004. We have had exceptional outcomes in Europe and look forward to similar outcomes in the U.S." In clinical results as of July 31, 2008, patient support averaged 223 days with cumulative support of 43 years. The longest ongoing patient support is over three years.

The DuraHeart LVAS Pivotal Trial is a multi-center, prospective, non- randomized study of 140 patients and will include up to 40 centers. The device is intended to provide cardiac support for patients awaiting transplant who are at risk of death due to end-stage left ventricular heart failure. Yoshifumi Naka, M.D., Ph.D., from Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York, will serve as the National Co-Principal Investigator with Dr. Pagani.

Dr. Nojiri added, "We are excited at the prospect of making this state of the art technology readily available for the increasing need of heart failure patients. Thi
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