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Major NIH-Funded Study Highlights Potential Clinical Application of AtCor Medical's SphygmoCor(R) System

Posted on: Thursday, 7 June 2007, 12:00 CDT

AtCor Medical Holdings Limited (ASX: ACG), the developer and marketer of the SphygmoCor(R) system, which non-invasively measures central blood pressures, today announced that the Strong Heart Study, a major multi-year study funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, concludes that central blood pressures are more predictive of future cardiovascular outcomes than traditional brachial (cuff) blood pressure. The study was published online in the American Heart Association journal, Hypertension, and will also be featured in the July 2007 print edition.

New clinical data involving 3,520 patients participating in the Strong Heart Study demonstrated the importance of using central pressures to identify cardiovascular risk at an earlier stage. Central pulse pressure measured using AtCor's SphygmoCor system was found to be more predictive of cardiovascular events than brachial pulse pressure in subjects with and without pre-existing atherosclerosis. When central and brachial pulse pressures were taken into account in a multi-variate risk model, brachial pressures ceased to be statistically significant.

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.

Duncan Ross, CEO of AtCor Medical, stated, "The Strong Heart study presents the most compelling evidence to support use of SphygmoCor since the release of the Conduit Artery Function Evaluation (CAFE) study results in 2006. CAFE clearly showed that the respective effects of different drug regimens on the heart could not be detected by traditional cuff pressure measurement.

"The conclusions of the Strong Heart study are clear," continued Ross, "central blood pressures are a better clinical tool for predicting cardiovascular outcomes than brachial pressures. These results will increase the rapid adoption we are seeing in the use of SphygmoCor in drug trials -- and will encourage the expanded use of SphygmoCor in post-market surveillance and clinical practice, to more accurately identify patients' cardiovascular risk."

More than 1,000 SphygmoCor systems are currently in use worldwide at major medical institutions and in various clinical trials with leading pharmaceutical companies.

The Hypertension article can be downloaded from: http://hyper.ahajournals.org.

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.

 Contacts: Investor Relations Rachel Levine T: 646-284-9439 E: rlevine@hfgcg.com  Media Relations Ivette Almeida T: 646-284-9455 E: ialmeida@hfgcg.com

SOURCE: AtCor Medical Holdings Ltd.

Source: MARKET WIRE

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