St. Jude Medical Broadens Treatment Options For Patients Suffering Movement Disorders With The European Launch Of New Deep Brain Stimulation System And Directional Lead

The Infinity Deep Brain Stimulation System and directional lead provides patients battling Parkinson’s disease, tremor and dystonia more patient-centric, intuitive technology options

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ), a global medical device company, today announced the European launch of the St. Jude Medical Infinity™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System and directional DBS lead. The system, which received CE Mark approval late in 2015, will support the treatment of patients with the three most common movement disorders in the world: Parkinson’s disease, tremor and dystonia, a disorder which causes involuntary muscle contractions.

“The Infinity DBS system and directional lead design was designed to meet the needs of physicians who confirmed that they needed a system that prioritized improved stimulation targeting, device longevity and improved patient ease of use”

Movement disorders are neurologic conditions caused by a communication breakdown throughout the central nervous system that can result in a debilitating loss of muscle control, involuntary movement and reduced coordination. There are currently no proven cures for movement disorders, which means treatment options focus on alleviating symptoms to improve quality of life. St. Jude Medical designed the Infinity system to improve the experience of patients who rely on DBS therapy to manage their symptoms. The company also developed the St. Jude Medical directional lead to help physicians more accurately tailor DBS therapy to their patient’s specific needs while reducing side effects.

The first physician to implant the new Infinity system and the St. Jude Medical directional lead was Prof. Jan Vesper, a professor of functional neurosurgery and stereotaxy at the University Hospital in Düsseldorf, Germany, and president of the German Neuromodulation Society.

“The Infinity system is the first DBS system I’ve encountered that adjusts to the patient’s individual needs, rather than forcing the patient to adjust to the system,” said Prof. Vesper. “Offering my patients a DBS system with exceptional ease of use and smooth manageability is an exciting step in the treatment of debilitating movement disorders.”

A DBS system, like the St. Jude Medical Infinity DBS system, delivers mild electrical pulses to specific targets in the brain to stimulate the structures involved in motor control. With the launch of the Infinity system, St. Jude Medical aims to empower physicians to more accurately deliver stimulation with a DBS system. The new St. Jude Medical directional lead can deliver stimulation more precisely through eight independent electrodes that allow physicians to specifically direct current to targeted structures and areas of the brain. This advance will allow physicians to tailor the therapy to a patient’s specific needs while avoiding unnecessary stimulation to areas that may create side effects.

The Infinity system also offers new, distinct patient advantages. For patient comfort, the system is available in two different sizes, offers a maintenance-free and long-lasting recharge-free system, and uses Bluetooth® wireless technology and Apple™ digital devices for its patient controller and physician programmers. In addition, the St. Jude Medical Infinity system is also upgradeable, which provides patients the potential to access new therapy advances as they’re approved without the need for repeat surgery.

“The Infinity DBS system and directional lead design was designed to meet the needs of physicians who confirmed that they needed a system that prioritized improved stimulation targeting, device longevity and improved patient ease of use,” said Dr. Allen Burton, medical director of neuromodulation and vice president of medical affairs at St. Jude Medical. “The Infinity DBS system is our answer for these previously unmet needs, demonstrating St. Jude Medical’s commitment to patient-centric solutions that help alleviate the debilitating effects of movement disorders.”

For more information about St. Jude Medical’s focus on the treatment of movement disorders, visit the St. Jude Medical Movement Disorder Media Kit or the St. Jude Medical PULSE Blog.

Note: Apple, is a trademark of Apple, Inc. Bluetooth is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

About St. Jude Medical

St. Jude Medical is a leading global medical device manufacturer and is dedicated to transforming the treatment of some of the world's most expensive epidemic diseases. The company does this by developing cost-effective medical technologies that save and improve lives of patients around the world. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., St. Jude Medical employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide and has five major areas of focus that include heart failure, atrial fibrillation, neuromodulation, traditional cardiac rhythm management and cardiovascular. For more information, please visit sjm.com or follow us on Twitter @SJM_Media.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements include the expectations, plans and prospects for the Company, including potential clinical successes, anticipated regulatory approvals and future product launches, and projected revenues, margins, earnings and market shares. The statements made by the Company are based upon management’s current expectations and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include market conditions and other factors beyond the Company’s control and the risk factors and other cautionary statements described in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including those described in the Risk Factors and Cautionary Statements sections of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2016 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 2, 2016. The Company does not intend to update these statements and undertakes no duty to any person to provide any such update under any circumstance.

Contacts

St. Jude Medical, Inc.
Investor Relations
J.C. Weigelt, 651-756-4347
jweigelt@sjm.com
or
Media Relations
Laurel Hood, 651-756-2853
LHood02@sjm.com

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