Edwards Opens New Transcatheter Valve Manufacturing Facility

October 5, 2010 – Edwards Lifesciences has opened a new 300,000-square-foot facility in Draper, Utah, allowing the company to significantly expand its manufacturing and development capabilities, especially in the transcatheter valve space.

By the end of the year, Edwards expects to transfer all existing operations and approximately 250 employees from its Midvale facility to Draper. Edwards has already begun manufacturing cardiac surgery systems products and accessories at the new location. Additionally, the company plans to hire up to 1,000 new employees.

The company already has European clearance for its Sapien transcatheter aortic valve and is seeking approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Positive first-year results from its U.S. PARTNER Trial were released during the Transcatheneter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2010 symposium in September. Experts at TCT said transcatheter valves will likely replace current open-heart surgical valve repair in the next decade.

For more information: www.edwards.com