VIDA Diagnostics introduces its next generation software as a service platform, Apollo® 1.2

VIENNA, Sept. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- VIDA Diagnostics, a leading developer of quantitative imaging analysis software for the diagnosis and treatment planning of major pulmonary disease, announced today the release and commercial availability of Apollo® 1.2, here at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) meeting in Vienna, Austria.  Apollo 1.2 showcases improved workflow and dataflow functionality streamlining VIDA's software as a service model, new interactive procedure planning features for lung volume reduction therapies and endobronchial biopsies, and the industry's first automatic lobar fissure integrity scoring application to evaluate collateral ventilation in emphysema patients.

"Apollo 1.2 represents a significant step in the development of VIDA's software as a service offering that provides patient selection, procedure planning and response evaluation for endobronchial emphysema treatment procedures," said Susan A. Wood, Ph.D., President and CEO of VIDA. "The addition of fissure integrity measurements to evaluate collateral ventilation through quantitative imaging software, underscores VIDA's leadership in procedure planning and clinical trials support for emphysema interventions."

"Appropriate patient selection for lung volume reduction therapies for patients with emphysema is an essential part of our patient management strategy," said Dr. Arschang Valipour, M.D., Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Otto-Wagner Hospital in Vienna.  "We are integrating quantitative CT-based biomarkers using VIDA Apollo® into our clinical routine including measures of disease severity, heterogeneity, and fissure integrity analysis to incorporate more objective measures for patient selection and planning for emphysema device therapies."

About VIDA Diagnostics
VIDA Diagnostics is a leader in quantitative pulmonary analysis software for the early detection, evaluation and aiding of treatment of pulmonary disease including COPD, emphysema, lung cancer, and asthma.  Apollo, VIDA's quantitative pulmonary imaging software platform, provides lung anatomic and functional measurements such as lung and lobe volumes, parenchymal density and airway diameters that are used to determine appropriateness, planning and patient response for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.  Apollo is FDA-approved and CE certified for clinical use in the U.S and European Economic Area. VIDA's analysis methodology and ISO 13485:2003/CMDCAS certified core lab services have been validated in multiple academic, pulmonary device, and pharmaceutical clinical trials. For more information on VIDA Diagnostics, visit www.vidadiagnostics.com.

About Emphysema and COPD
The global incidence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes emphysema, is increasing and is predicted to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. In the U.S., where nearly 5 million people are diagnosed with emphysema, it is estimated that one person dies every 4 minutes from COPD. Debilitating and costly, approximately $50 billion was spent addressing the direct and indirect costs associated with COPD in the U.S. in 2010.