-Research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International
Conference on Prevention of Dementia-
NORWOOD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 11, 2007--Aspect Medical
Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASPM) is presenting two abstracts at the
Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Prevention of
Dementia being held in Washington, D.C. June 9-12, 2007. The abstracts
report on interim results of two studies that are investigating use of
the company's brain assessment technology to evaluate cognitive
function in elderly patients. These study results are consistent with
previous findings that Aspect's EEG-based biomarker correlates with
standard measures of cognitive performance and suggest that the EEG
information may be helpful in determining which patients in the normal
to mild cognitive impairment range are likely to experience cognitive
decline.
An abstract presented at a "hot topics" poster session highlights
observations from thirty-seven mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
patients enrolled in a longitudinal trial that Aspect is conducting in
collaboration with the Brain Resource Company. The MCI subjects were
prospectively evaluated using Aspect's brain assessment technology to
obtain an EEG cognitive functional score. The EEG assessments from the
MCI patients were then compared with assessments in a recently
acquired database of normal elderly subjects and Alzheimer's disease
patients. Results indicate that patients suffering from MCI showed
brain assessment scores between those of healthy and Alzheimer's
disease subjects.
"While these findings confirm prior reports that EEG cognitive
functional scores are lower in AD patients than in normal elderly
subjects, the intriguing question is whether or not the lower
functional scores seen in some MCI patients are predictive of future
conversion to AD," said Scott Greenwald, Ph.D., vice president of
research at Aspect. "Long-term follow up with the MCI subjects will be
required in an effort to make this determination."
The second abstract summarized recent analysis from Aspect's
ongoing longitudinal Cape Cod Memory Study of more than 350 normal
elderly subjects. Interim study results show that Aspect's EEG measure
at baseline was a statistically significant predictor of cognitive
decline for the 137 subjects who completed at least 1 year in the
study. Specifically, use of the EEG measure along with standard
cognitive scales enabled researchers to improve the prediction of
which subjects were likely to decline. Further follow up assessments
will evaluate whether the technology may be an earlier marker for the
development of dementia.
"We believe that the ability to determine early on which patients
are likely to experience decreasing cognitive function will be
especially valuable as new disease-modifying treatments for
Alzheimer's disease become available," said Andrew Leuchter, M.D.,
Professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and
Human Behavior at UCLA and chair of Aspect's Neuroscience Advisory
Board.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than five million
Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease. Another eight million
are estimated to suffer from MCI, a condition which often goes
undiagnosed today. Studies have shown that six to 25 percent of MCI
patients will progress to Alzheimer's disease each year.
About Aspect Medical Systems, Inc.
Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASPM) is a global market
leader in brain monitoring technology. To date, the Company's
Bispectral Index (BIS) technology has been used to assess
approximately 20 million patients and has been the subject of more
than 2,800 published articles and abstracts. BIS technology is
installed in approximately 75 percent of hospitals listed in the July
2006 U.S. News and World Report ranking of America's Best Hospitals
and in approximately 55 percent of all domestic operating rooms. In
the last twelve months BIS technology was used in approximately 16
percent of all U.S. surgical procedures requiring general anesthesia
or deep sedation. BIS technology is available in more than 160
countries. Aspect Medical Systems has OEM agreements with eight
leading manufacturers of patient monitoring systems. The company is
also investigating how other methods of analyzing brain waves may aid
in the diagnosis and management of neurological diseases, including
depression and Alzheimer's disease. For more information, visit
Aspect's Web site at http://www.aspectmedical.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Certain statements in this release are forward-looking and may
involve risks and uncertainties, including statements with respect to
the Company's expectation that EEG information may be helpful in
determining which patients in the normal to mild cognitive impairment
range are likely to experience cognitive decline, its ability to
successfully develop tools for the diagnosis and treatment of
neurological diseases, such as depression and Alzheimer's disease, and
the benefits of such tools, if developed, for the general population
of patients with such diseases and, in particular, mild cognitive
impairment and Alzheimer's diseases. There are a number of factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
indicated by these forward-looking statements. For example, the
interim results of the Company's EEG monitoring technology may not be
replicated in further evaluations; Aspect's EEG-based biomarker may
not be proven to correlate with standard measures of cognitive
performance and may not prove to be helpful in determining which
patients in the normal to mild cognitive impairment range are likely
to experience cognitive decline; and the Company may not be able to
successfully develop products for the diagnosis and treatment of
neurological diseases, such as depression and Alzheimer's disease,
achieve widespread market acceptance of any such products that it may
develop or to compete with new products or alternative techniques that
may be developed by other. There are other factors that could cause
the Company's actual results to vary from its forward-looking
statements, including without limitation those set forth under the
heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
for the quarter ended March 31, 2007 as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. In addition, any forward-looking statements
represent the Company's views only as of the date of this press
release and should not be relied upon as representing the Company's
views as of any subsequent date. While the Company may elect to update
forward-looking statements in the future, it specifically disclaims
any obligation to do so, even if its expectations change. Therefore,
you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as
representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date
of this press release.
Aspect, Bispectral Index and BIS are registered trademarks of
Aspect Medical Systems, Inc. All other trademarks, service marks and
company names are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Aspect Medical Systems, Inc.
Emily Anderson, Media Relations
617-559-7032
SOURCE: Aspect Medical Systems, Inc.
