ATCOR MEDICAL HOLDINGS LIMITED
ASX release 3 September 2014
AtCor Medical (ASX: ACG), the developer and marketer of the SphygmoCor® system which measures central aortic blood pressures and arterial stiffness noninvasively, today announced that it has been awarded a competitive tender to provide SphygmoCor XCEL systems for a multi- centre trial in France.
The study, which is being coordinated by the prestigious Universitaire (CHU) de Bordeaux, will determine the relationship between arterial stiffness, as measured by Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), and the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Pulse wave velocity is a measure of how fast
pressure waves move through blood vessels. The study will also measure cardiovascular events such as strokes and heart attacks, and also examine if high levels of pulse wave velocity - known
to increase cardiovascular risk - also influence the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Ten
systems have been ordered. Selection of SphygmoCor XCEL was attributed to its ease of use, extensive capability and its reputation as the gold standard for measuring arterial stiffness and central aortic pressures.
The Universitaire's trial is also a part of a larger trial: A Cohort of Outpatients from French Research Memory Centers in Order to Improve Knowledge on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders1.
More than 36 million people suffer from dementia worldwide and this is expected to triple by 2050. Alzheimer's disease represents between 60% to 80% of dementia cases. In the US, AtCor's
largest market, an estimated 5.3 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease which is the sixth leading cause of death.
Duncan Ross, CEO and president of AtCor Medical said: "This new contract extends SphygmoCor's clinical trial use to brain illnesses. Alzheimer's treatment is at the forefront of biomedical research and much of what is known has been discovered in the last 15 years. Our experience will establish a footprint for AtCor in this important growing market."
Alzheimer's disease is understood to be connected to the accumulation of beta amyloid plaques in the brain, which come from a larger protein in the surrounding nerve cells.
"While knowledge of what causes death and tissue loss in Alzheimer's is not definitive, the accumulation of plaques is directly related to large artery stiffness. This can be accurately measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and pulse wave reflection. We believe that increased understanding of Alzheimer's could lead to more timely intervention and treatment, slowing disease progression. As the SphygmoCor is the market leader in measuring carotid femoral pulse wave velocity, dementia is an area where we expect SphygmoCor will be able to provide substantial benefit to both patients and payers," said Mr Ross.
1 ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01926249
About AtCor MedicalAtCor Medical develops and markets products for the early detection of cardiovascular risk and management of cardiovascular disease. Its technology allows researchers and clinicians to measure central blood pressure non-invasively. The company's SphygmoCor® system visibly identifies the effects of reflected blood pressure in the central aortic pressure wave, effects which cannot be detected with standard blood pressure monitoring. More than 3,400 SphygmoCor® systems are currently in use worldwide at major medical institutions, research institutions and in various clinical trials with leading pharmaceutical companies, and the company's technology have been featured in over 800 peer-reviewed studies published in leading medical journals along with thousands of citations. AtCor has operations in Australia, the United States, and Europe. For further information, please visit our web site at www.atcormedical.com
For further information, please contact:
Duncan Ross - AtCor Medical CEO
+1 (630) 228 8873
Peter Manley - AtCor Medical CFO
+61 (2) 8815 8811
Media enquiries to:
Ashley Rambukwella - Financial & Corporate Relations
Ph: +61 (2) 8264 1004/ m. 0407 231 282 or a.rambukwella@fcr.com.au
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