Cardiogenesis initiates enrollment in PHOENIX System Feasibility Study

Oct 13 2010

Cardiogenesis Corporation (OTCQB: CGCP), a leading developer of surgical products used in the treatment of diffuse coronary artery disease, reported the enrollment of the first two patients in its PHOENIX Feasibility Study.  Dr. Guillermo Reyes at La Princesa Hospital, Madrid, Spain performed the procedures utilizing the company's proprietary PHOENIX System that combines the intramyocardial delivery of stem cells with transmyocardial revascularization (TMR).

"Myocardial stimulation via TMR has been proven to reduce angina for the majority of treated patients.  The synergy of the injection of autologous stem cells may provide greater angina reduction, and improve cardiac function in patients with diffuse disease who are not candidates for surgical bypass or intervention," commented Dr. Reyes.  "Survival rates have significantly improved for persons with coronary artery disease; however as this population lives longer they can outlive the effectiveness of their prior therapy.  Clinicians are faced with an expanding population of symptomatic patients with no option for conventional treatments.  Stem cell therapy with the Cardiogenesis technology has great promise as a solution for this growing clinical problem."

The two procedures were performed during an investigator meeting in Madrid, Spain on October 7-8.  Leading researchers at five medical centers from France, India, Italy, Russia, and Spain will participate in the study.  The company plans to begin clinical cases at those centers in the upcoming weeks.

"This is a significant milestone.  We will provide the early results of this feasibility study along with the pre-clinical testing being conducted at the Stem Cell Center of the Texas Heart Institute, to support our request to begin a multi-center IDE pivotal trial in the U.S. for the PHOENIX System," said Cardiogenesis Executive Chairman Paul McCormick.  "We believe the injection of stem cells combined with the pretreatment of TMR system can prove to be an effective therapy for an expanding population of patients with no options and will provide a proprietary growth opportunity for our company."