Hansen Medical to exhibit its Lynx Robotic Ablation Catheter at the workshop on Cardiac Arrhythmias

Oct 5 2009

Hansen Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: HNSN) will showcase its new Lynx™ Robotic Ablation Catheter for the first time at Venice Arrhythmias 2009, the 11th International Workshop on Cardiac Arrhythmias, Oct. 4-7, in Venice, Italy. The Lynx catheter is a small, flexible irrigated ablation catheter for customers in Europe to offer stability during the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). The company will also show its Sensei® X Robotic Catheter System and the Artisan Extend™ Control Catheter at the conference, which were introduced on September 15, 2009.

The new Lynx robotic ablation catheter is supported by the Sensei X platform and leverages the navigation capability of the Artisan Extend catheter, but in a smaller and more flexible integrated profile for the treatment of AF and other electrophysiology disorders. Offering a seven French irrigated ablation tip with a standard sized sheath, the new Lynx catheter has six degrees of freedom that facilitates placement in difficult to reach anatomic locations. Pending CE Mark approval, the Lynx catheter is expected to be available in the European Union within the first half of 2010.

"The Lynx catheter is thinner and safe and its ablations were consistent with my prior experience with other irrigated ablation devices," said Josef Kautzner, M.D., Ph.D., FESC, Head, Department of Cardiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague. "In addition, the learning curve for the new catheter may be shorter, which I believe will help a broader group of physicians to perform complex ablation procedures for the treatment of AF with greater effectiveness."

"We believe that the launch of our Lynx catheter will create even more demand for Hansen Medical's latest medical robotic product offerings as the Lynx catheter and Sensei X platform will enable clinicians to extend procedural capabilities and improve their EP programs," said Frederic Moll, M.D., president and CEO, Hansen Medical.

The Sensei X system is the next generation flexible robotic platform that integrates advanced levels of 3D catheter control with 3D visualization, a synergistic technology combination that provides enhanced accuracy and stability to the physician. The Sensei X platform supports the new Artisan Extend control catheter, which increases the reachability and navigation properties of the existing Artisan catheter by offering more than 20 percent improvement in both bend and reach. As a result, physicians have the ability to place catheters deliberately and accurately within the heart. In addition, the Artisan Extend catheter offers improvements in setup and workflow, designed to improve usability and reduce procedure time.

In addition, the Sensei X platform provides physicians with improved procedural planning and workflow, and enhancements in catheter control. During clinical evaluations, physicians indicated that the Sensei X system and the Artisan Extend control catheter improved their technical capabilities during EP procedures, while continuing to reduce radiation exposure to both patient and physician.

The Lynx robotic ablation catheter will be available in the E.U. upon receipt of the C.E. mark, which is expected in the first half of 2010. The company began shipping the new Sensei X system in the third quarter of 2009 in the U.S. and the E.U. The company also began shipping the Artisan Extend catheter in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2009 and it expects that the Artisan Extend catheter will receive the C.E. mark in the fourth quarter of 2009.