Formal regulatory approval enables commercialization of innovative
V.A.C.® Therapy System in Japan
Kinetic
Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI) announced today that the Ministry of
Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) in Japan has granted final regulatory
approval for KCI to market and sell its innovative V.A.C.®
Therapy System in the country.
“Japan has a deep heritage of providing outstanding medical care, and
the people of KCI are pleased and humbled to have the opportunity to
serve this market,” said Catherine Burzik, KCI president and CEO. “What
makes us especially proud is that our clinically proven V.A.C.® Therapy
System will fill a real unmet medical need in Japan for hard-to-heal
wounds.”
Reimbursement applications have been submitted following regulatory
approval. Operational preparations, including employee hiring, are
underway for commercial launch at the time of reimbursement approval.
KCI anticipates reimbursement approval in the first half of 2010.
About KCI
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI) is a leading global medical
technology company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture
and marketing of innovative, high-technology therapies and products for
the wound care, tissue regeneration and therapeutic support system
markets. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, KCI's success spans more
than three decades and can be traced to a history deeply rooted in
innovation and a passion for significantly improving the healing and the
lives of patients around the world.
The Company employs approximately 6,700 people and markets its products
in more than 20 countries. For more information about KCI, and how its
products are changing the practice of medicine, visit www.KCI1.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding
expected timing of reimbursement approval and commercial launch of
V.A.C. Therapy in Japan. Forward-looking statements may contain words
such as believes, expects, anticipates, estimates, projects, intends,
should, seeks, future, continue, or the negative of such terms, or other
comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks,
uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that are difficult to
predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from
those expressed in or indicated by them. Additional risks and factors
are identified in KCI's filings with the U.S. Securities Exchange
Commission (the SEC), including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended June 30, 2009, which are available on the SEC's
Web site at www.sec.gov.
KCI undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking
statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.