Abiomed to Host Symposium on Spectrum of Heart Recovery Technologies at STS 2008

Business Wire, Jan 24, 2008

* Abiomed to Present New Impella([R]) 5.0 Clinical Data

* Demonstrations of New iPulse[TM] Combination Console Capable of Running IAB, BVS and AB5000([R]) VADs

* First Exhibition of Recently-Announced AB5000([R]) Portable Circulatory Support Driver

DANVERS, Mass. -- Abiomed Inc. (NASDAQ: ABMD) today announced its schedule of events at The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) 44th Annual Meeting being held January 27-29 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. STS is the world's largest professional organization of cardiothoracic surgeons, with more than 5,400 members. Abiomed will exhibit its comprehensive portfolio of heart recovery products spanning the continuum of cardiovascular patient care from the cath lab to the surgery suite.

The Abiomed STS booth (#317) will include demonstrations of the Company's extensive heart recovery suite including: Impella([R]) technologies, the iPulse[TM] Combination Console Platform, the AB5000[R]Portable Circulatory Support Driver, the AB5000[R]Circulatory Support System and the world's only fully-implantable replacement heart, the AbioCor([R]). Also available at the Abiomed STS booth will be a demonstration of WorldHeart's Levacor[TM] VAD. Impella technologies, the AB5000 Portable Driver, and the Levacor VAD have not been approved by the FDA.

Additionally, Abiomed will host a Symposium called "Providing the Full Spectrum of Care from Heart Recovery to the Fully Implantable Artificial Heart," on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. moderated by Mark Anderson, MD of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The Company will present for the first time new clinical data on the breakthrough Impella 5.0 in a formal presentation titled "Impella - Clinical Updates on the Minimally Invasive Surgical VAD," presented by Dr. Bartley Griffith of University of Maryland Medical Center. The Impella 5.0 is a minimally invasive ventricular assist device (VAD) that provides cardiovascular support of up to 5.0 liters of blood per minute, and is capable of actively unloading the heart for up to 10 days.

"We are excited to showcase Abiomed's extensive portfolio of heart recovery technologies at STS," said Michael R. Minogue, Chairman, President and CEO of Abiomed. "As we enter 2008, Abiomed is preparing for the U.S. launch of our Impella, iPulse and AbioCor platforms and the STS symposium and presentations will provide a forum to support the clinical focus on heart recovery as the goal for acute patients."

Symposium moderator Mark Anderson, MD of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital will begin with his presentation titled "Circulatory Support...Where We Stand and Where We Are Going," to discuss Abiomed's full spectrum of cardiovascular care technologies.

To follow in the presentation titled "Broadening the Clinical Applications of Recovery Technology," Dr. Michael Siegenthaler of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center will discuss his vast experience using the Impella 5.0 in Europe. In addition, he will highlight Abiomed's recently FDA-approved iPulse Circulatory Support System, the first console with the capability to provide either VAD or IAB support in the catheterization (cath) lab and surgery suite. The iPulse drives Abiomed and other manufacturers' intra-aortic balloons (IAB), Abiomed's BVS 5000 and AB5000 VADs, as well as new products Abiomed may offer in the future.

Dr. Siegenthaler will also provide an update on the pending clinical trial discharge protocol for Abiomed's recently announced Portable Circulatory Support Driver, designed to support the AB5000 VAD. Abiomed's Portable Driver is small, lightweight and reliable, and has the potential to improve patient care while lowering costs to hospitals.

The final Symposium presentation led by Dr.Vivek Rao of Toronto General Hospital titled "The Next Generation VAD for Chronic Heart Failure" will feature information on the Levacor VAD mag-lev rotary pump for long-term support applications, including bridge to transplant and destination therapy, manufactured by WorldHeart. A recent strategic investment by Abiomed in WorldHeart further strengthens Abiomed's commitment to heart recovery.

Abiomed Schedule of Events:

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Abiomed Symposium: "Providing the Full Spectrum of Care from Heart Recovery to the Fully Implantable Artificial Heart" from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. moderated by Mark Anderson, MD, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, at the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort. A reception will be held prior to the Symposium at 7:00 p.m. For more information please visit http://www.abiomed.com.

This Symposium will serve as the forum to publicly announce new Impella 5.0 clinical data.

Symposium Schedule:

* "Circulatory Support...Where We Stand and Where We Are Going," Mark Anderson, MD, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Moderator, (to focus on full spectrum of cardiovascular care)

* "Impella - Clinical Updates on the Minimally Invasive Surgical VAD," Bartley Griffith, MD, University of Maryland Medical Center, (updates to the Impella 5.0 data)

* "Broadening the Clinical Applications of Recovery Technology," Michael Siegenthaler, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, (to focus on Abiomed's iPulse, AB5000 Portable Driver and Impella technologies)