18-Month Data Demonstrates Realize mySUCCESS® Program Significantly Improves Weight Loss

LAS VEGAS, June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (EES) today announced an 18-month data analysis demonstrating that REALIZE® Adjustable Gastric Band patients who consistently utilized the company's REALIZE mySUCCESS® Program lost significantly more weight compared to those who inconsistently used the program(i).  David B. Sarwer, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, will present the data at an educational event taking place in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

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The REALIZE mySUCCESS® program is a Web-based clinical support tool to help bariatric surgery patients achieve and maintain a healthier weight.  According to the 18-month data, gastric banding patients who frequently used REALIZE mySUCCESS® achieved an average of 15 percent more excess weight loss (EWL).  These results are based on 18 months of patient-reported data from REALIZE® Band patients frequently using REALIZE mySUCCESS® versus those infrequently using it.  Frequent use means entering a weight at least once every 2 weeks(i).

EES is the only company to offer a Web-based clinical support tool for patients across the continuum of bariatric surgical procedures. The company expanded patient access to REALIZE mySUCCESS® to gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients in August 2009. Since then, 5,000 bypass and sleeve surgery patients have registered, bringing the overall total to 27,000 bariatric surgery patients participating in the program(ii).

"Long-term compliance to post-operative programs is often the primary challenge for bariatric surgery patients in their effort to lose weight," said Robin Blackstone, MD, FACS, FASMBS*, Medical Director, Scottsdale Healthcare Bariatric Center.  "These data strongly suggest that REALIZE mySUCCESS® may improve compliance and significantly help patients achieve and sustain weight loss after bariatric surgery. While the data is specific to gastric banding patients, I believe further study would demonstrate similar results for those that have had other bariatric procedures."

The REALIZE mySUCCESS® program allows patients to develop pre- and post-operative goals interactively, customize plans and monitor their weight loss progress. It then applies system intelligence to update physicians on patient-reported data, enabling physicians to proactively monitor patient progress and intervene before minor setbacks in behavior occur.

In conjunction with the ASMBS annual meeting, Dr. Sarwer will join prominent master chef and REALIZE® Band patient, Edwin Michael Scholly and others at an educational event on Thursday, June 24 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at The Cleveland Clinic Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. In addition to the clinical data being presented, the educational event sponsored by EES will consist of discussions and demonstrations related to behavior modification and bariatric nutrition.

About Ethicon Endo-Surgery

Ethicon Endo-Surgery develops and markets advanced medical devices for minimally invasive and open surgical procedures, focusing on procedure-enabling devices for the interventional diagnosis and treatment of conditions in general and bariatric surgery, as well as gastrointestinal health, gynecology and surgical oncology. More information can be found at www.ethiconendo.com.

(i) Data on file

(ii) Data on file

* Paid consultant to EES

SOURCE Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (EES)