COMPUMEDICS ACHIEVES A WORLD’S FIRST IN BRAIN MONITORING
Compumedics announced a world-first for its ground-breaking brain-monitoring NEUVO® Long-Term EEG (electroencephalography) monitoring (LTEM) system.
- The Yale New Haven Medical Center has produced brain EEG scans using the new Compumedics® NEUVO®
- This breakthrough represents a major enhancement in diagnostic capabilities for evaluating patients requiring surgical correction for epilepsy
- Opens up the opportunity to access a $250m pa global neurology monitoring market
MELBOURNE Australia, 7th August, 2012 — Compumedics Limited (CMP.ASX) today announced a world-first for its ground-breaking brain-monitoring NEUVO® Long-Term EEG (electroencephalography) monitoring (LTEM) system.
The Yale New Haven Medical Center in Connecticut (USA) has produced EEG brain scans using the new Compumedics® NEUVO® LTEM from nearly 300 electrode positions on the cortex of the brain. This represents a major enhancement in the diagnostic capabilities for evaluating patients requiring surgical correction for epilepsy. Higher quality brain recordings and more precise brain analysis can improve patient outcomes.
“This high-channel count recording is the first to demonstrate the real value of this exclusive technology in the management of a patient with epilepsy. The technical advantages of Compumedics’ integrated solution will be difficult for our competitors to match any time soon”, Jeff Kuznia, Compumedics USA’s vice-president of marketing, said.
The breakthrough provides Compumedics with a firm leading technology entry into the $250m pa global neurology monitoring market and validates Compumedics’ strategy to develop new products for this high growth area.
The Epilepsy Foundation estimates that more than 3 million people in the US are affected by epilepsy with 200,000 new cases each year. Of these 10% may require surgical brain resections to control debilitating seizure activity. There are more than 70 dedicated Epilepsy Centers in the USA that provide advanced diagnostic and treatment services for epilepsy and many more hospitals that offer more limited epilepsy management services. The Epilepsy Centers indirectly influence future purchasing decisions at the approximate 6,000 hospitals across the USA, which perform either routine LTEM or other neurological diagnostics and monitoring. Over the past 12 months, Compumedics has installed its leading edge neurological monitoring systems at 5 of these centers, including Yale. Each of these installations represents between $0.5m and $1.5m in revenues.
The Epilepsy Center at Yale New Haven Medical Center has installed one Compumedics NEUVO® LTM EEG system capable of recording up to 512 individual channels of high-density EEG data on a single patient for days or weeks at a time. Two additional Neuvo Systems will be installed in the next few months. The Compumedics digital amplifier technology is superior to existing competitors and provides Compumedics a unique point of differentiation as part of its entry strategy into this new market.
In addition, the Center uses the Compumedics Neuroscan® CURRY® software to integrate brain imaging from patients’ MRI and CT scans with the EEG recordings, helping identify the source of epileptic seizures in preparation for surgical intervention.
Yale and other leading institutions have chosen the Compumedics solution ahead of the competition as it represents the highest density and signal quality brain monitoring system in the market today. Importantly this advanced technology is based on proven research-class technology to help guide the surgical treatment of this patient population.
Compumedics has made significant investments in product development targeting the neuro-diagnostics market to leverage its expertise in high-end amplifier design and physiological signal processing. The combination of the NEUVO® LTM EEG system and the patented CURRY® neuroimaging analysis software suite makes it easier for epileptologists and neurosurgeons to identify which specific regions in the brain are most likely to be the cause of severe seizure activity in an afflicted patient.
Dr. David Burton, chairman and chief executive officer of Compumedics Group commented,
“Compumedics’ renewed focus on the neuro-diagnostics market in the USA, with the recent expansion of our sales force and increased marketing efforts are producing positive results and we foresee continued growth in this important segment of our business. This USA long-term EEG monitoring milestone complements the recent successes we have had in the European and Asian neuroscience markets”
About Compumedics NEUVO® LTM EEG system
Built on the technology platform of the leading amplifier technology in the brain research world, Neuvo is capable of high density, high speed recording with all channels sampled simultaneously eliminating sample-and-hold circuitry for superior data quality. Combine the outstanding ergonomics of Neuvo with the power of ProFusion neXus (laboratory management system) and you have a fully networked solution for your facility. Explore the many innovations in Neuvo including “One-cable” connectivity to the control room and “Zero-clutter) cable management systems. Neuvo LTM systems come in 64, 128, 256 and now up to 512 channel variations and available in wall or trolley configurations.
About Compumedics
Compumedics Limited, was founded in 1987 by current Chairman/CEO Dr. David Burton and today is a global leader in the design and manufacture of diagnostic technologies for sleep disorders, neurophysiology and cardiology.
In 1987 Compumedics established Asia Pacific’s first fully computerized sleep laboratory. Compumedics holds 80% share of the Australian sleep-diagnostic market, and has a major and rapidly growing presence in the US, European and Asian marketplaces for its sleep, neurological, and Doppler blood-flow diagnostic monitoring devices.
In 1995 the company was selected to supply equipment to the US Sleep Heart Health Study, the world’s largest sleep study of its kind, with over 8,000 participants scheduled by 2008. With headquarters in Melbourne, Australia and offices in the United States, and Europe its products are distributed in over 50 countries.
In 1998 Compumedics was awarded the overall Australian Exporter of the Year.
In 2000 Compumedics was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
In 2002, Compumedics acquired US-based Neuroscan – the world’s leading supplier of instruments for brain research. In the US – the world’s largest medical device market – Neuroscan holds around 90% of the market for brain-research products.
In 2003 Compumedics was awarded the Frost & Sullivan Award for Market Expansion Strategy.
In 2004, Compumedics acquired Germany-basedDWL Elektronishe GmbH, enabling Compumedics to expand its global operations into the neurovascular and cardio-vascular diagnostic fields.
In 2006, Compumedics was awarded the Frost and Sullivan Technology Leadership award for its innovative Somté® recorder product.
In 2007, Compumedics and its Chairman were inducted into the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
In 2008 the DWL division received a top 100 German Innovation award. With 20,000 systems installed globally across the finest hospital, universities and clinics Compumedics sales have grown more than 4-fold from $9 million (1999) to $39 million (2008).
In 2009 Compumedics was awarded a design award for its GRAEL® PSG/EEG premium laboratory-based product.
In 2010 Compumedics was recognized by the Australian Innovation Government and Industry body as one of Australia’s Top 100 Health Innovators through its’ world leading devices for sleep diagnostics.
In 2011 Compumedics was selected as one of the 25 innovative Australian companies by the Australian Governments Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Industry).
For further background please visit: http://www.compumedics.com
For further information please contact:
Compumedics USA S&M VP: Mr. Jeffrey Kuznia 704-749-3204;jeff.kuznia@compumedicsusa.com
Compumedics CEO/Chairman: Dr. David Burton 61-3-8420-7300;dburton@compumedics.com.au
Investor and media enquiries:
Mr. Rod North, Managing Director, Bourse Communications:
T: +61 3 9510 8309; M: + 61 408 670 706; E: rod@boursecommunications.com.au