Cardiac Dimensions® Names Omari V. Bouknight Vice President of Sales and Marketing

KIRKLAND, Wash., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cardiac Dimensions^®, Inc. today announced that it had named sales and marketing executive Omari V. Bouknight its Vice President of Sales and Marketing, effective Oct. 12. He reports directly to President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Stewart.

Bouknight has primary responsibility for the commercialization of the CARILLON^® Mitral Contour System^™ throughout Europe. The CARILLON system, which recently received CE Mark approval, is a novel therapy for treating heart failure patients suffering from functional mitral regurgitation (FMR).

Bouknight has spent the past eight years working in sales, marketing and business development for global medical device companies specializing in cardiac products. Most recently, Bouknight served as Business Unit Director, Chronic Circulatory Support for Pleasanton, CA-based Thoratec Corporation, a leading developer and manufacturer of cardiac assist devices for the treatment of advanced heart failure. As Business Unit Director, he most notably led successful commercialization efforts for the HeartMate II^® Left Ventricular Assist System in Europe and the United States.

"We are excited to add a senior executive with Omari's depth of experience to our senior management team," Stewart said. "His background and expertise in global sales and marketing, particularly in Europe, will allow him to make immediate contributions to the Cardiac Dimensions organization. More specifically, his experiences in commercializing innovative products that address heart failure translate directly to our ongoing efforts to commercialize the CARILLON system. Omari represents a strong addition to an already high-caliber senior management team, which is well positioned to achieve our clinical and commercial milestones."

Prior to Thoratec, from 2003 to 2005, Bouknight worked for Guidant Corporation's sales and marketing organizations. From 1999-2002, he served as a consultant to numerous healthcare organizations as part of Deloitte Consulting.

Bouknight has bachelor's degrees in supply chain operations, international relations and German from Michigan State University. He also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.

About CARILLON^® Mitral Contour System^™

Cardiac Dimensions' CARILLON Mitral Contour System combines a proprietary, implantable device with a percutaneous catheter delivery system. The implantable device consists of a proximal anchor and a distal anchor connected by a shaping ribbon. Utilizing the heart's natural structures, the device is intended to reduce mitral annulus dilatation upon deployment, thereby significantly reducing functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). Rapidly delivered via the venous vasculature, CARILLON has the potential to treat most heart failure patients in a minimally invasive fashion. Early clinical data suggest that usage is associated with significant reduction in FMR, and significant improvement in functional capacity and quality of life.

About Functional Mitral Regurgitation

More than 20 million people worldwide have heart failure, most of whom also suffer from functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). FMR typically results from the dilation of the left ventricle, which is the main pumping chamber in the heart. As the left ventricle increases in size, the mitral valve also expands. This dimensional increase leads to mitral regurgitation, which significantly reduces the amount of blood flow out of the left ventricle and on to the body and its organs. FMR has been associated with high rates of mortality, reduced functional capacity, poor quality of life and an increase in patient hospitalizations. Current mainstream therapies to address FMR are limited. A majority of patients become refractory to medical therapy over time and traditional surgical intervention is associated with high rates of operative morbidity and mortality.

About Cardiac Dimensions^®, Inc.

Cardiac Dimensions is a leader in the development of innovative, minimally invasive treatment modalities to address heart failure and related cardiovascular conditions. The company's initial technology platform, the CARILLON^® Mitral Contour System^™ has been designed to address functional mitral regurgitation, utilizing a novel percutaneous approach. Cardiac Dimensions is based in Kirkland, Washington. For more information, visit the company's web site: http://www.cardiacdimensions.com.

Cardiac Dimensions and CARILLON are registered trademarks of Cardiac Dimensions, Inc., and Mitral Contour System is a trademark of Cardiac Dimensions, Inc.

SOURCE Cardiac Dimensions, Inc.