LAWRENCE, Mass., June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- NxStage ® Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTM), a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today announced that patient advocate Harvey Wells has successfully undergone a kidney transplant, bringing to a rewarding close his four years of frequent home hemodialysis with the NxStage® System One.
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Wells, 59, of Euless, Texas has been a passionate advocate for the clinical and quality of life benefits possible with more frequent home hemodialysis with the NxStage System One. Since starting the NxStage therapy, Wells has traveled 60,000 miles across 40 states with his System One to raise patient awareness about NxStage’s therapy.
“I feel extremely fortunate to have had access to home hemodialysis with the System One. Like many patients, I once felt that receiving a kidney transplant was my only hope for a healthy, enjoyable life. But with more frequent home dialysis, I felt that I truly had my life back,” said Wells who, upon receiving a kidney transplant, visited NxStage Medical headquarters to celebrate his milestone with the Company and CEO Jeffrey Burbank. “I am incredibly grateful for the improved health the NxStage System One afforded me during my time as a dialysis patient, and which I believe enabled me to be healthy enough to receive my new kidney. Home hemodialysis isn’t for everyone, but patients need to have better access and more awareness of this life changing therapy.”
“NxStage is thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Harvey, who has inspired many patients to both adopt our therapy and become more engaged in efforts to increase awareness and access,” said Jeffrey Burbank. “There is now compelling data in support of much better survival, improved clinical outcomes and improved quality of life for patients on daily home hemodialysis with NxStage versus conventional in-center treatment. We are pleased that our therapy not only allows patients to live better, healthier lives, but also may better position patients like Harvey for transplant success.”
The Harvey Wells Story
Four years ago, Wells was still undergoing conventional dialysis, visiting a dialysis center three days every week for sessions that each lasted four-and-a-half hours. The treatments and rigorous schedule often left Wells feeling fatigued and made traveling difficult. Wells later learned about the NxStage System One, a portable hemodialysis machine that would enable him to have his treatments at home on a more frequent basis, more closely mimicking a healthy, functioning kidney. After completing training with his wife and trained partner, Peggy, he began dialyzing at home in spring 2007.
Wells experienced such a significant improvement in his health and quality of life with more frequent hemodialysis sessions he sought to share his story with other dialysis patients and their families to help raise awareness of the treatment option. An avid traveler and RV enthusiast, Wells took his NxStage System One “on the road,” stopping at dialysis centers from coast to coast to invite patients to watch him set up his own treatments, answer questions and share his story, one patient to another. Wells received a modest stipend from NxStage for his efforts and travel expenses.
In 2007, Wells took his two young grandsons on a two-week road trip in his RV spanning 3,700 miles and 11 states. In the summer of 2008, Wells expanded “Grandpa’s Road Trip” to a 51-day excursion covering more than 12,500 miles and 37 states, with stops at presidential libraries, national parks and other sites. In 2009, Harvey followed his favorite football team to every home and away game, traveling to Cleveland, Denver, Baltimore, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Kansas City. In 2010 and early 2011, his travels continued through 16 states. Along the way, he dialyzed in his RV and visited more than 150 cities, stopping at dialysis centers to speak to kidney patients. Harvey also spoke with national and local media about frequent home hemodialysis and chronicled his travels for the broader ESRD community on Facebook and Twitter.
Most recently, Wells visited NxStage Medical, the Lawrence, Massachusetts-based maker of the System One, to express his appreciation for the machine whose daily use enabled him to rediscover a freer and more energetic life, and which he believes played a meaningful role in enhancing his opportunity to receive a kidney transplant.
About the NxStage System One
About the size of a 13-inch tube television, the NxStage System One is the first and only truly portable hemodialysis system cleared for home use by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Its simplicity and compact size are intended to allow easy use in patients’ homes and give patients the opportunity to travel with their therapy. It plugs into standard electrical outlets and, unlike conventional hemodialysis systems, requires no special infrastructure to operate. Under the guidance of their physician, patients can use the NxStage System One, with their trained partners, where, how and when it best meets their needs, at home or on vacation.
About NxStage Medical
NxStage Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTM) is a medical device company, headquartered in Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA, that develops, manufactures and markets innovative systems for the treatment of end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, and acute kidney failure. NxStage is leading the development of the home hemodialysis market in the US with the only portable hemodialysis machine, the System One, cleared for home use by the FDA. For more information on NxStage and its products, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nxstage.com/.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this release that are not clearly historical in nature are forward-looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond NxStage’s control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance or achievements including market acceptance and demand for NxStage’s System One, growth in home hemodialysis, and certain other factors that may affect future operating results and which are detailed in NxStage’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Quarterly Report on Form 10Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011.
In addition, the statements in this press release represent NxStage’s expectations and beliefs as of the date of this press release. NxStage anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause these expectations and beliefs to change. However, while NxStage may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing NxStage’s expectations or beliefs as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
Contact: Kristen Sheppard, ksheppard@nxstage.com.
SOURCE NxStage Medical, Inc.
