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| |  SmartMist System For Delivery Of Asthma Medication Now Available In US HAYWARD, CA -- February 3, 1998 -- The SmartMist(R) Respiratory Management System, Aradigm Corp.’s technologically-advanced, hand-held inhalation device, is now available in the United States for use in the treatment of asthma. The SmartMist System virtually eliminates dosing technique problems associated with use of standard asthma drug delivery devices and enables improved patient compliance with therapy. The treatment of asthma, including hospital costs and direct health care fees, costs the U.S. more than $5 billion annually and is a leading cause of emergency room visits and hospitalisations. "The SmartMist System is the most advanced technology available on the market today that serves both as a medication delivery device and a sophisticated peak flow meter," said Nancy Sander, president of the Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc. "If the medication doesn't reach the airways, the patient cannot achieve full symptom relief. This device ensures proper delivery of the medication, is easy to use and provides the feedback necessary for patients and families struggling to gain control over asthma." Asthma, the seventh-largest chronic condition in America, affects nearly 15 million people in the U.S. and causes an estimated 5,000 deaths annually. The disease, which also causes 1.5 million emergency room visits annually, can be controlled by the prescribed, regular use of currently-available preventative medications. However, studies show that up to 70% of patients who use metered dose inhalers (MDIs) -- the devices used to deliver these medications -- are unable to master the complex inhalation/drug actuation technique required to deliver the right dose of medication to the lungs. Using red and green indicator lights to provide instant feedback on proper inhalation technique, the SmartMist System's breath control technology guides patients to breathe slowly and evenly, and automatically dispenses drug when the desired flow rate is established. Clinical studies show that asthma patients who used the SmartMist System achieved correct dosing over 90% of the time, compared to only 45% of the time when using standard MDIs. Further, the SmartMist System monitors patient compliance and records data on drug administration which can be downloaded to a personal computer for review by healthcare professionals or managed care organisations. "The SmartMist System helps physicians and patients overcome the most basic clinical challenges in successfully controlling asthma by ensuring that patients get the right dose of medication to the lungs," said Homer Boushey, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Asthma Clinical Research Center, University of California at San Francisco. "In addition, by keeping an automated diary of a patient's dosing patterns and lung function, the SmartMist System simplifies treatment compliance for the patient and provides physicians with a powerful tool for monitoring care."
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