DANVERS, Mass. (October 13, 2004) – ABIOMED, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABMD) today announced that the first European patient to have his heart supported by the AB5000 Circulatory Support System has recovered from acute fulminant myocarditis. The AB5000 provides temporary support for one or both sides of the native heart in circumstances where the heart has failed, giving the patient's heart the opportunity to rest and potentially recover -- and giving surgeons the therapeutic flexibility necessary to determine the best endpoint for treatment.

Mr. Christer Söderqvist, a patient of Dr. Bansi Koul at University Hospital Lund in Sweden, suffered from a cardiac arrest while he was being treated for cardiogenic shock and was considered to have close to 100% risk of mortality. A policeman, Mr. Christer Söderqvist had been previously healthy when he began to show symptoms of acute heart failure. Over two days his situation deteriorated, culminating in a severe shock requiring CPR and stabilization with the heart lung machine. He was immediately placed on the BVS5000 Circulatory Support System to support both sides of his heart, which helped improve his stability and blood flow. After 4 days, he was switched to ABIOMED's AB5000 Ventricles to prepare him for a longer duration of support and to allow him improved mobility.

"Converting from the BVS 5000 to the AB5000 was done in about fifteen minutes in the critical care unit, without re-opening the patient's chest," commented Dr. Koul. He also noted that the patient, who during the treatment developed heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, was managed with an alternative regimen of anti-coagulation without any clots forming.

After 20 days of total support, it was determined that Mr. Christer Söderqvist's native heart had fully recovered and was once again able to sustain his circulation. The AB5000 was successfully explanted and the patient is due to be discharged from the hospital. "By first stabilizing Mr. Christer Söderqvist on the BVS 5000 and then converting to the AB5000, the clinical team had adequate time to assess the patient and determine the best course for treatment," commented Dr. Koul. "In this case, receiving bi-ventricular support on the AB5000 allowed the patient's heart to recover. In other cases, if it appears that the patient's heart is too damaged to recover we will be able to work with the patient and family to consider other options including heart transplant and, in the future, the AbioCor implantable artificial heart."

"We are delighted that Mr. Christer Söderqvist, our first AB5000 patient in Europe, continues to do well," said Michael R. Minogue, CEO and President of ABIOMED. "It is always particularly good news when a patient on our device not only survives a life threatening cardiac event, but also returns home with his natural heart recovered. Being able to switch from the BVS5000 to the AB5000 without re-opening the chest also helps with recovery, as there is a greatly reduced possibility of infection or bleeding. We are continuing to work to make our life saving systems available to surgeons worldwide so that more patients like Mr. Christer Söderqvist can be saved."

Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, ABIOMED, Inc. (pronounced “AB’-EE-O-MED”) is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical products designed to assist or replace the pumping function of the failing heart. ABIOMED currently manufactures and sells the AB5000™ Circulatory Support System and the BVS® 5000 Biventricular Support System for the temporary support of all patients with failing but potentially recoverable hearts. The Company’s AbioCor® Implantable Replacement Heart is the subject of an initial clinical trial being conducted under an Investigational Device Exemption from the United States Food and Drug Administration. The AbioCor has not been approved for commercial distribution, and is not available for use or sale outside of the initial clinical trial.

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Media Contact:
Andrea tenBroek
Communications Specialist
(978) 646-1419
mediarelations@abiomed.com