heartware granted first european patent

HeartWare Limited today announced it has been granted a patent by the European Patent Office
that covers HeartWare’s fundamental left ventricular assist device technology. This patent is one
of a series of patents which HeartWare has filed in the EU.
HeartWare CEO, Stuart McConchie said: “This important first European patent further
strengthens HeartWare’s patent position. Our intellectual property coverage, already broad in
the United States, Australia and other countries, is now extended to cover the EU.
“We believe this European patent, which we expect to be the first of many to issue, to be a
significant step in establishing and protecting our technology on a global basis.
“We believe HeartWare’s family of circulatory assist devices has the potential to substantially
reduce morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure, one of the leading causes of death
in the developed world. Worldwide approximately 100,000 end stage heart failure patients could
benefit from HeartWare’s HVAD”.
HeartWare now has a total of 25 patents: 14 in the United States, 8 in Australia, 1 in Europe and
2 other international patents.
About HeartWare
HeartWare Limited is developing a family of proprietary circulatory heart assist devices, or ‘heart
pumps’, to treat patients with congestive heart failure. Heart failure affects 10 million people
globally, with over one million new patients diagnosed every year.
HeartWare’s first left ventricular assist device, the HVAD, is expected to commence human
clinical trials late in 2005, with first sales planned for 2007. HeartWare’s HVAD is 45cc in
volume, believed to be at least one-third the size of other full output pumps without mechanical
bearings.