Zargis Cardioscan software marketed along with 3M's Bluetooth-enabled Littmann electronic stethoscope

Aug 26 2009

Zargis Medical Corp., a spin-off from Siemens Corporate Research (NYSE: SI) and a majority-owned subsidiary of Speedus Corp. (Nasdaq: SPDE), today announced that it has begun selling its Zargis Cardioscan(TM) heart sound analysis software, along with 3M's (NYSE: MMM) just-released Bluetooth(R)-enabled 3M(TM) Littmann(R) Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200, as part of its previously announced exclusive multi-year global marketing alliance with 3M. This marketing alliance provides Zargis with a wide-range of global marketing and promotional opportunities along with exclusive rights to sell its products through the world-wide distribution network of the 3M(TM) Littmann(R) brand.

Zargis Cardioscan software, the 3M(TM) Littmann(R) Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200 and access to ZargisTelemed(TM) -- Zargis' Internet-based telemedicine portal -- can now be purchased online at www.zargis.com.

"The ability to record and automatically analyze heart sounds can help improve a clinician's confidence, document complex auscultations, and may keep some patients from going through additional, unnecessary testing," stated Joseph Tartaglia, MD, a practicing cardiologist in White Plains, NY, and clinical assistant professor of medicine at New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY.

Cardioscan heart sound analysis software is designed to support physicians in analyzing and interpreting cardiac sounds which can be signs of heart disease. Cardioscan connects wirelessly to the Bluetooth(R)-enabled 3M(TM) Littmann(R) Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200, and integrates with the ZargisTelemed portal -- a HIPAA-compliant feature of Cardioscan allowing users to easily share heart sounds recordings, analyzed results and comments with colleagues via the Internet.

"At a time when our nation is focused on leveraging technology to improve healthcare efficiency, these devices represents breakthroughs in auscultation that have the potential to reduce unnecessary referrals, and help clinicians detect pathologic heart murmurs earlier in the treatment cycle," stated John Kallassy, CEO of Zargis Medical. "We believe that the use of our software could enhance the physician experience during every patient exam where a stethoscope is used."

Zargis and select distributors of 3M(TM) Littmann(R) Brand Products will be selling Cardioscan for $395 (retail price) per licensed user -- a price point intended to make the device affordable to a variety of healthcare professionals around the world. In addition, access to the ZargisTelemed portal will be priced at $10 per month per licensed user.