Boston Heart Diagnostics Named a Rising Star by MassEcon for Ninth Annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Award

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MassEcon has named Boston Heart Diagnostics (BHD) as a "Rising Star" winner for the Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards. The annual award celebrates companies that have made outstanding contributions to the Massachusetts economy. Boston Heart Diagnostics and the other winners will be recognized at a November 20^th awards luncheon with featured speaker Governor Deval Patrick. More than 400 attendees are expected at the event, which will be held at the Seaport Hotel in Boston.

BHD President and CEO Susan Hertzberg commented, "We are honored to be among such a distinguished group of winners and are proud of this recognition, which affirms our strong growth and contributions to the Commonwealth. It was no accident that our founders chose to locate our headquarters and laboratory in Framingham, Massachusetts – home to the Framingham Heart Study, the pivotal long-term research that continues to inform the cardio-informatics system we use to create detailed and personalized cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reports for clinicians and personalized plans for patients.  We are thankful to be in the Commonwealth where our strong growth is sustained by a robust talent pool and a supportive business climate. There is a great opportunity here for young life sciences companies to realize their potential and become vital contributors to the Massachusetts economy."

MassEcon selected the winners based on their job growth, facility expansion, and investment since January 1, 2011, as well as other criteria including community involvement. "We're thrilled to recognize the businesses in Massachusetts that are expanding such as Boston Heart Diagnostics," commented MassEcon Executive Director Susan Houston. "It's especially gratifying to see growth occurring in all regions of the Commonwealth." This year's winners were selected from a pool of finalists, which together have added more than 2,000 jobs to the Commonwealth, invested nearly $250 million, and expanded their facilities by more than 1.5 million square feet since January 2011. Finalists competed on a regional basis, defined as West, Central, Southeast, Northeast, and Greater Boston.

"Our world-leading innovation economy is driven by entrepreneurial companies like the Team Massachusetts award winners and other companies like them around Massachusetts," Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki added. "The Patrick-Murray Administration appreciates the investment these firms are making in our economy and our long-term economic development plan prioritizes the innovation economy in an effort to help these companies succeed."

About Boston Heart Diagnostics (BostonHeartDiagnostics.com)

Boston Heart Diagnostics focuses solely on cardiovascular disease – the number one cause of death in the United States. We offer clients an unparalleled combination of proprietary tests, actionable information, and dedicated service and support – partnering with healthcare providers so they can provide the best CVD patient care possible. There's much more to cardiovascular disease than "good" (HDL) and "bad" (LDL) cholesterol. Studies show that traditional statin drug therapy to lower LDL-C reduces the relative risk of heart attack by only 25%. BHD, established in 2007, targets the 75% relative risk for a cardiovascular event that remains AFTER lowering LDL cholesterol. Our proprietary algorithm analyzes test results in light of relevant patient history and the latest peer-reviewed scientific data to produce personalized reports and plans that include specific therapeutic and lifestyle strategies tailored for each individual patient. When it comes to CVD management, Boston Heart Diagnostics is leading the charge to turn the promise of personalized medicine into a reality.

About MassEcon

MassEcon, founded in 1993, is a non-profit, non-partisan entity that serves as the state's private sector partner in promoting Massachusetts as the premier choice for business growth. Its services include the state's only Site Finder Service, which helps expanding and relocating companies find appropriate sites throughout the Commonwealth; the Research & Information Service, which provides companies with the information they need to evaluate the Commonwealth as a location to grow; and the Massachusetts Ambassadors, a network of civic and corporate leaders who help market Massachusetts as a place to do business.

Media contact: Caroline Grossman - 781.771.5579 - [email protected]

SOURCE Boston Heart Diagnostics