Massachusetts General Hospital implants Levacor Ventricular Assist Device

World Heart Corporation (WorldHeart) (Nasdaq:WHRT), a developer of mechanical circulatory systems, announced today that the Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General) in Boston, Mass. has successfully implanted its first Levacor™ Ventricular Assist Device (VAD). Mass General is the fifth implanting site nationwide in the Levacor VAD Bridge-to-Transplant (BTT) Study. This is the eleventh implant with the Levacor VAD since the inception of the BTT study.

Dr. Thomas MacGillivray, cardiac surgeon and Mass General's surgical Principal Investigator for the study, commented, "Through the Levacor VAD Study we are able to offer late-stage heart failure patients another bridge-to-transplant treatment option."

Mr. J. Alex Martin, WorldHeart's President and Chief Executive Officer, added, "We are delighted that Mass General is now an active participating clinical site in the Levacor VAD BTT Study. This study provides access to next-generation blood pump technology for eligible heart-transplant candidates in the North-Eastern United States."