VASAMED Receives 510(K) Clearance for SensiLase(TM) PAD 3000; Begins Shipping Instruments Automated Microcirculatory Perfusion Technology Delivers Solution for $30M Wound Healing Diagnostic Market MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VASAMED (OTC Bulletin Board: OPTL), a leader in non-invasive, hemodynamic assessment technology, today announced that it has received FDA 510(K) clearance-to-market and begun worldwide customer shipments for its new SensiLase(TM) PAD 3000 Skin Perfusion Pressure (SPP) system. This makes the SensiLase the first and only fully automated, commercial system for non-invasive quantitative evaluation of microcirculatory perfusion. "This product introduction brings the benefits of microvascular assessment using SPP to thousands of wound care centers in the fast-growing, worldwide wound care and PAD triage market," said Paulita LaPlante, president and CEO of VASAMED. "This news positions SensiLase to be the diagnostic and screening tool of choice in its category and serves to extend our record of innovative technology creation in response to an urgent medical need." The SensiLase is a fully automated, PC-based diagnostic instrument designed to provide critical information about the health of the micro circulatory system. As a result it has generated interest in the wound care market for assessing healing potential and to monitor interventional therapy. Additionally, it may also be the ideal diagnostic tool for the early identification of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Despite the fact that millions of patients have PAD there has been no easy tool for affordable general screening. With broad usage of SPP and the SensiLase at the early stages of the disease, treatment costs could be reduced due to earlier detection and disease management. This could expand the market for SensiLase from the $30M wound healing assessment market to the $200M PAD screening market. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to play an important role in addressing the PAD problem. In addition, we are especially excited with the early customer recognition of the clinical value of the SensiLase product," said Terry Duesterhoeft, vice president of Sales and Marketing at VASAMED. "Our sales team is actively positioning SensiLase as another important success in our quest for a product platform that will provide medical professionals a complete non invasive overview of hemodynamic health." VASAMED is a technology development company specializing in low-cost, vascular diagnostic systems for non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Products developed by VASAMED include the CapnoProbe(TM) Sublingual (SL) System for the measurement of sublingual CO2. A single application of this system for use in shock detection and management was licensed to Nellcor in 2001. Tissue CO2 can be used in a variety of hemodynamic diagnostic applications. VASAMED manufactures and supplies SensiLase(TM) PAD 3000 and LASERDOPP(TM) PV2000, skin perfusion pressure and pulse volume waveform diagnostic systems for quantitative evaluation of micro circulatory perfusion in patients with chronic foot ulcers, diabetes and other peripheral arterial disease. Skin perfusion pressure is not affected by edema, anemia, medial calcification or certain other conditions that limit the usefulness of other measurement technologies. In June 2004, VASAMED acquired Steorra(TM), a non-invasive cardiac output monitoring system for evaluation and management of a variety of heart conditions. For more information about VASAMED technology and services and new products, see the company's web site at http://www.vasamed.com/ . For more information about Nellcor(R) CapnoProbe(TM) Sublingual (SL) System, see http://www.nellcor.com/ . DATASOURCE: VASAMED CONTACT: Wes Peterson, CFO of VASAMED, +1-952-944-5857 ext. 542 Web site: http://www.vasamed.com/ http://www.nellcor.com/

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