Uptake Medical Announces First Commercial Use of InterVapor for Patients With Severe Emphysema

TUSTIN, California, November 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- New treatment provides clinically meaningful improvements in lung function and quality of life

Uptake Medical® today announced the first commercial use of the InterVapor™ System for endoscopic lung volume reduction in a patient with severe emphysema. The patient successfully underwent treatment with InterVapor, the first endoscopic lung volume reduction system for the treatment of severe emphysema that uses the body's natural healing processes without leaving foreign materials in the lung. The patient was treated by the team at the Thoraxklinik in Heidelberg, Germany, which is led by Professor Dr. Felix Herth and is recognized as a leading institution for pioneering new therapeutic options for people with emphysema. 

"As investigators in the VAPOR trial, we observed the benefits our patients received from InterVapor and we are pleased to be selected to introduce InterVapor," commented Professor Dr. Felix Herth, chief, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Thoraxklinik Heidelberg. "It is particularly fitting that the first patient case has taken place in November, which marks COPD Awareness month, as InterVapor offers a new treatment option for patients who are looking for relief from their emphysema."

Emphysema is a progressive disease in which the lungs are permanently damaged. This leads to a condition called hyperinflation, which impacts breathing function and forces patients to take short, shallow breaths, severely impacting quality of life. The InterVapor System directly induces reduction of hyperinflation, a problem for patients with severe emphysema. InterVapor is a non-surgical procedure which treats hyperinflated parts of the lungs with heated water vapor. InterVapor triggers the body's natural healing process, gradually reducing the treated portion of the lungs and increasing the ability to breathe more fully. Unlike other approaches to lung volume reduction, InterVapor does not leave foreign materials in the lung, which may require additional procedures for adjustment or removal. Results from the VAPOR trial demonstrated clinically significant improvements in lung function and quality of life for patients with severe emphysema.

"This has been a year of milestones for Uptake Medical," said R. King Nelson, president and chief executive officer, Uptake Medical. "This first commercial patient case is the culmination of multiple successes including the completion and subsequent publication of the positive results from the VAPOR trial and receipt of the CE Mark for the InterVapor System. The interest in our approach to treating emphysema continues to build and we are enthusiastic as we continue the launch of the InterVapor System."

About Emphysema/COPD

The global incidence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes emphysema, is on the rise and will become the third leading cause of death by 2030. In the U.S., where nearly 5 million people are diagnosed with emphysema, it already holds this position with one person dying every 4 minutes from COPD. Debilitating and costly, nearly $50 billion was spent addressing the direct and indirect costs associated with COPD in the U.S. in 2010.

About Uptake Medical

With headquarters in Tustin, Calif., Uptake Medical® develops innovative medical technologies for the treatment of lung diseases. InterVapor™, the first product from Uptake Medical, is the first and only approach to endoscopic lung volume reduction for people with severe emphysema that uses the body's natural healing process without leaving any foreign materials in the lung. In clinical studies, InterVapor has demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in breathing function, exercise capacity and quality of life. InterVapor received the CE Mark in September 2011 and plans to commercialize (in Europe and Australia) over the coming months. More information can be found at http://www.uptakemedical.com.

Uptake Medical and InterVapor are registered trademarks and trademarks of Uptake Medical.