• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Bronchial Thermoplasty Named One of the ''Top Ten Medical Innovations for 2007''

Posted on: Wednesday, 27 December 2006, 09:00 CST

Asthmatx, Inc., a medical device company that has developed a catheter-based procedure for the treatment for asthma, today announced that bronchial thermoplasty, an investigational asthma treatment, has been named as one of the Top Ten Medical Innovations for 2007 by the Cleveland Clinic. The "Top 10" list recognizes breakthrough medical technologies that have the potential to have an impact on healthcare in 2007.

Bronchial thermoplasty, a minimally-invasive procedure, is the first-ever non-drug treatment for asthma, and is now under clinical investigation at more than 30 leading research centers around the world. During the out-patient investigative procedure, the Alair System, a bronchial thermoplasty therapy developed by Asthmatx, is used to deliver thermal energy to the airway walls to reduce the amount of airway smooth muscle, the tissue responsible for airway constriction and breathing difficulties in asthma patients. Early data from clinical trials demonstrate that on average, treated patients had less airway narrowing and improvements in key clinical parameters, including peak flow, quality of life, and symptom free days.

"Asthmatx is honored to be developing one of the Top Ten Medical Innovations for 2007. Our goal is to improve the current standard of care for patients with severe asthma," states Glen French, CEO of Asthmatx. "Data from previous studies suggest that Bronchial Thermoplasty with the Alair System may reduce the frequency of asthma symptoms, and that these effects may persist after a one-time series of treatments. We are pleased that Cleveland Clinic has recognized the potential of bronchial thermoplasty to help control symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with severe asthma."

Bronchial thermoplasty was included in the list of up-and-coming devices and therapies that was selected by a panel of Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists and was unveiled during Cleveland Clinic's recent 2006 Medical Innovation Summit in November. For consideration, a nominated innovation was required to:

Have significant potential for short-term clinical impact (either a major improvement in patient benefit or an improved function that enhances healthcare delivery).

Have a high probability of success.

Be on the market or close to being introduced.

Have sufficient data available to support its nomination.

In developing the Top 10, Cleveland Clinic enlisted the expertise of an independent international management consulting firm. The firm led the process to probe the opinions of Cleveland Clinic physicians and researchers, create a field of nominated innovative technologies for consideration, and develop a consensus perspective on what will be the Top 10 for 2007. To see a complete list of the Cleveland Clinics "Top Ten Medical Innovations" of 2007 visit: http://cms.clevelandclinic.org/body.cfm?id=227&action=detail&ref=528.

About Bronchial Thermoplasty with the Alair System

Bronchial Thermoplasty is an out-patient investigative procedure that is performed through a standard flexible bronchoscope that is introduced through a patient's nose or mouth, and into their lungs. The small diameter Alair catheter is delivered into the airways through the working channel of this flexible bronchoscope. The tip of the Alair catheter is expanded to contact the walls of targeted airways. Controlled thermal energy is then delivered to the airway walls to reduce the presence of muscles within the airway wall that narrow the airways in patients with asthma. Although still under clinical investigation, the data from this study suggest that reducing the amount of airway smooth muscle may reduce the ability of treated airways to constrict or narrow during an asthma attack. The procedure, like many other flexible endoscopy procedures, is done under light anesthesia, and the patient returns home the same day.

Asthma is one of the most common and costly diseases in the world. The prevalence of asthma is on the rise, and there is no cure. According to the American Lung Association, more than 20 million Americans have asthma, and about two-thirds of these patients are adults. Managing unstable asthma consumes substantial healthcare resources. In the US each year, asthma attacks result in approximately 10 million unscheduled doctor office visits, 2 million emergency rooms visits, 500,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths.

Current Research of Bronchial Thermoplasty

Asthmatx is currently enrolling patients in the AIR2 Trial, our fourth clinical study of Bronchial Thermoplasty with the Alair System (www.AIR2Trial.com). The AIR2 Trial will enroll approximately 300 patients worldwide this year. If you have asthma, are between 18 and 65 years of age, are a non-smoker, and take medication daily to control your asthma, you may be eligible to participate in the AIR2 Trial. For more information on participation, please call the following toll-free number: (866) 400-AIR2 or visit www.AIR2Trial.com.

CAUTION: Alair® System is an Investigational Device. It is limited by United States law to investigational use. To be used by Qualified Investigators only.

Editor's Notes:

For more information on Asthmatx or the Alair System, please contact Karen Passafaro at 650-810-1118 or kpassafaro@asthmatx.com.

About Asthmatx:

Asthmatx is developing catheter-based medical devices for the treatment of asthma, a disease that affects over 20 million people in the United States. Asthmatx has developed the Alair® System to perform an investigational outpatient procedure called Bronchial Thermoplasty. Bronchial Thermoplasty involves the delivery of precisely controlled thermal energy to the airway wall, to reduce the amount of airway smooth muscle, and lessen these muscles' ability to narrow the airway.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category