Angiotech Pharmaceuticals announces the commercial launch of the Option(TM) Inferior Vena Cava Filter in the United States

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANPI; TSX: ANP), today announced the commercial launch of the Option(TM) Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filter in the United States, following FDA 510(k) clearance in June and a limited pre-launch in July. Angiotech holds exclusive worldwide rights to market and distribute the Option IVC Filter, which it obtained in a license agreement with privately held Rex Medical, LP (Rex Medical), as announced in March 2008.

"The pre-launch of the Option IVC Filter last month was overwhelmingly successful, demonstrating its potential to be a market leading product in pulmonary embolism prevention," said Dr. William Hunter, President and CEO of Angiotech. "We are excited to announce that the Option IVC Filter is now available throughout the U.S. through our dedicated Interventional Sales team."

WorldHeart Receives US Clinical Study Approval for the Levacor(TM) VAD

World Heart Corporation (WorldHeart) (Nasdaq: WHRT) announced today that it has received FDA conditional approval to begin a bridge-to-transplant (BTT) study of the Levacor Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) at ten US centers.

The company is required to provide some additional information to the FDA within 45 days, but the study is permitted to begin upon receipt of clinical center Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals. WorldHeart has been working closely with a number of clinicians and clinical sites that are interested in participating in the Levacor Study.

Center expansion beyond the initial ten sites will be based upon a supplemental IDE application and subsequent FDA approval. Study enrollment will involve approximately 200 subjects, with an opportunity to demonstrate statistical significance through a planned interim analysis at approximately 150 subjects.

Cerus INTERCEPT Blood System for Platelets Receives Swiss Approval

Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) announced today that the Swiss regulatory body, Swissmedic, has approved the use of platelet components treated with Cerus’ INTERCEPT Blood System. The approval extends permitted storage time for platelets to seven days with INTERCEPT treatment, compared to five days without treatment.

The regulatory review process by Swissmedic is similar to the regulatory processes in France (Afssaps) and Germany (Paul Ehrlich Institute), in which INTERCEPT-treated blood components have been approved as a biologic for patient use. Cerus has previously received CE mark approval for its INTERCEPT platelet and plasma systems, which allows Cerus to sell the systems in the European Union.

The INTERCEPT platelet system has been piloted in Basel over the past three years and also has been used in clinical studies elsewhere in Switzerland.

Abaxis Reports Record Financial Performance for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2010

ABAXIS, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABAX), a medical products company manufacturing point-of-care blood analysis systems, today reported financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2009.

Record quarterly highlights include:

-- Revenues of $29.6 million, up 21% over last year's comparable quarter.
-- Veterinary market sales of $21.8 million, up 31% over last year's comparable quarter.