Launch of Innovative Therapy Represents First Step in Broader Product Introduction and Market Development Strategy

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI) has announced the first patient placement of the company’s innovative V.A.C.^® ATS Therapy System in Japan. This landmark event represents the commercial launch of the therapy in Japan and the beginning of a comprehensive market development strategy in the country. V.A.C.^® Therapy has treated more than three million patients in more than 50 countries worldwide and has been clinically proven in 20 randomized controlled trials and more than 550 peer-reviewed articles.

“KCI’s success in bringing this revolutionary medical technology to Japan is the direct result of a collaborative effort between KCI and key Japanese clinical investigators,” said Catherine Burzik, KCI president and CEO. “We wish to thank the Japanese government for placing its trust in our proven therapy system and the medical professionals who will use it to help heal patients with complex wounds.”

Kyorin Hospital became the first institution in Japan to use V.A.C.^® Therapy on a patient, who had a pressure ulcer. Typical patients eligible for V.A.C.^® Therapy in Japan include those with dehisced and hard-to-heal open wounds, and wounds following trauma, surgery, amputation and debridement. Prior to the launch of V.A.C.^® Therapy in the country, patients with serious wounds faced extensive recovery times and painful redressing of wounds.

“V.A.C.^® Therapy can greatly reduce patient recovery times compared to other options, an important consideration when deciding treatment course,” said Dr. Kiyonori Harii, professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, Kyorin University, and chief investigator in the V.A.C.^® Therapy clinical trial. “There are many patients with serious wounds in Japan who can benefit from V.A.C.^® Therapy. It’s a medical solution that fills a great need, allowing us to successfully treat many patients whose wounds traditionally heal slowly or not at all.”

V.A.C.^® Therapy is a product of KCI's Active Healing Solutions^™ unit.

Added Mike Genau, president, KCI’s Active Healing Solutions™, “We’ve been working hard for more than five years to enter Japan and are excited that today has finally arrived. The opportunity to improve patient lives in yet another country is hard and rewarding work, and we look forward to watching how V.A.C.^® Therapy changes medical practice in Japan and beyond as we continue to enter new markets globally.”

About KCI

Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI), is a leading global medical technology company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of innovative, high-technology therapies and products for the wound care, tissue regeneration and therapeutic support system markets. Headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, KCI's success spans more than three decades and can be traced to a history deeply rooted in innovation and a passion for significantly improving the healing and the lives of patients around the world.

The Company employs 6,700 people and markets its products in more than 20 countries. For more information about KCI and how its products are changing the practice of medicine, visit www.KCI1.com.