Cyberonics initiates first implant of AspireSR product in epilepsy patients

Cyberonics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYBX), a global leader in epilepsy management, today announced the first implant of its AspireSR™ seizure response product on April 27, 2011.

The implant, conducted under the care of Professors Paul Boon and Dirk Van Roost and their teams at the Ghent University Epilepsy Group in Ghent, Belgium, was received by a patient with ictal tachycardia (heart rate increases associated with seizures) who has been suffering with epilepsy for many years.

The company's approved products allow the patient to induce additional stimulation manually through the use of a magnet, but do not currently sense the onset of seizures.  The AspireSR product automates the magnet stimulation by sensing heart rate changes that are correlated with the patient's seizure activity.  The generator then provides stimulation of the vagus nerve in response to the seizure.  

"This is an important milestone in the development of treatments for epilepsy, a particularly challenging condition affecting almost three million people in the U.S., and corresponding numbers worldwide," said Dan Moore, Cyberonics' President and Chief Executive Officer.  "It also represents significant progress in our development of improvements to the VNS Therapy^® System.  We look forward to completing the enrollment of this clinical trial, E-36."

"We are pleased to be able to initiate the first implant of this new product," said Professor Boon. "The design is consistent with existing VNS devices, and the procedure was conducted in the usual manner, but the ability of the device to sense changes correlated with a seizure and induce responsive stimulation of the vagus nerve is unique.  The new device will be particularly significant for patients who are unable to use a magnet for additional stimulation."