MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SafeStitch Medical, Inc. (OTCBB: SFES) is bringing the AMID Stapler® to market in the United States with the creation of a nationwide sales team.
The AMID Stapler was created to offer an innovative alternative to manual suturing for inguinal hernia repair using the Lichtenstein method. This hernia fixation device allows for mesh manipulation, mesh fixation and skin closure with less retraction force than required for manual suturing (based on cadaver data study). The AMID Stapler’s design may help avoid the risk of penetrating delicate vessels and nerves.
“We are ready to hit the ground running by bringing the AMID Stapler into the operating rooms and allowing physicians to have hands on experience with our device. Physicians spoke favorably about the AMID Stapler at the International Hernia Congress, specifically how easy it was to use, and I anticipate the product will be well received and accepted. Already, we have appointments to meet with numerous physicians who want to try out the product,” said Jeffrey Spragens, President and CEO of SafeStitch Medical.
Comprised of thirty five direct sales managers, independent representatives and distributors, SafeStitch’s sales team is reaching all geographical areas that have high concentration of hernia surgeries. The immediate goal is to create brand awareness and adaptation among key opinion leaders and physicians by demonstrating the AMID Stapler’s features and benefits over manual suturing. SafeStitch’s new sales team will be led by JC Campbell, Director of Sales of SafeStitch Medical since 2010.
Dr. Parviz Amid, one of the inventors of the AMID Stapler and for whom the product is named, personally trained the sales team on the Lichtenstein procedure using the AMID Stapler. “I was impressed with the caliber of professionals I had the opportunity to train. I am confident that with this training and the unique features of the AMID Stapler, the Lichtenstein procedure will continue to advance to the highest standards of patient care.”
The direct sales managers had the opportunity to meet Dr. Phillip Frost during a training seminar at the corporate office in Miami, Florida in March 2012. Dr. Frost, the largest beneficial stockholder of SafeStitch Medical, reviewed the backgrounds of each team member and offered them good wishes. “You could see the excitement amongst the sales team. They are the forces behind the AMID Stapler’s getting to market, and I believe that their skills will produce the desired results.”
The sales team is currently taking orders for the AMID Stapler and product is available for immediate shipment.
About SafeStitch Medical, Inc.
Miami, Florida-based SafeStitch Medical, Inc. is a publicly traded medical device company focused on developing innovative surgical devices with minimally invasive and endoscopic procedures to deliver durable outcome for hernia repair, treatment of obesity and other gastroespophageal disorders. Information about the Company may be found on its website at: www.safestitch.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA), which statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "projects," "will," "may," "anticipate," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning, including statements regarding our product development and commercialization efforts, and our ability to significantly improve clinical outcomes in patients, as well as other non-historical statements about our expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding our business, technologies and products, financial condition, strategies or prospects. Many factors, including those described herein and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause our actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements. These factors include: whether we will be able to bring the AMID Stapler into operating rooms to allow physicians to have a hands on experience with the device; whether the AMID Stapler will be well received and accepted; whether the AMID Stapler provides features and benefits over manual suturing, and whether our sales force will be able to demonstrate such features and benefits; whether we will be able to gain appointments with physicians for the physicians to try the AMID Stapler; whether the sales team will reach all geographical areas that have high concentrations of hernia surgeries; whether we will be able to create brand awareness and adaptation among key opinion leaders; whether we have provided adequate training to our sales representatives; whether the sales representative training and the features of the AMID Stapler will advance the Lichtenstein procedure to the highest standards of patient care; and whether the AMID Stapler will be ready for shipments in April 2012. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable law. We intend that all forward-looking statements be subject to the safe-harbor provisions of the PSLRA.
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