Sequana Medical’s new alfapump technology improves the
care of patients with challenging refractory ascites
Zurich, SWITZERLAND – 1 December 2014. Technological advances in Sequana Medical’s
alfapump system will allow patients and their doctors to better manage the distressing
symptoms of refractory ascites, a condition in which fluid builds up in the patient’s abdomen
as a result of late-stage liver disease or cancer. With enhanced communications enabled by the
new DirectLink Technology, clinicians will now be able to monitor the alfapump remotely.
Patients with late stage liver disease or cancer require intensive treatment. Management of key
symptoms such as ascites is critically important for patients, many of whom are waiting for a liver
transplant. The build-up of ascitic fluid in their abdomens can be painful, preventing them from eating
well or exercising and often causing painful hernias.
Sequana Medical, a Swiss-based medical devices company, has pioneered the alfapump, the first and
only internal pump system providing automatic and continual removal of ascites, now with DirectLink
technology to improve patient management.
Prior to the alfapump, the only therapy available for most patients with refractory ascites was large
volume paracentesis, a lengthy, invasive procedure which can require weekly visits to the hospital for
removal of the many litres of fluid from the abdomen. The process can be distressing for patients as it
involves the use of large bore needles, sometimes inserted many times to access and remove the
ascites.
Michael Beckett, 50, from Portsmouth, UK had serious liver problems. He explains, “Before I had my
alfapump implanted I had a huge belly with tiny arms and legs. I wasn’t eating and I was tired all of the
time. I had to go to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth to have the fluid drained – sometimes
I had 14 litres, that’s 14 kilos of extra weight around my belly.”
Michael is now remarkably fit and his liver function is back to normal thanks to the care of his
physicians and the alfapump therapy which allowed him to eat well and exercise.
Michael believes the new alfapump system will make a big difference for people who are in the
situation he was in two years ago. He had to travel a long distance to the Royal Free Hospital in
London for his specialist liver care and he thinks that the new DirectLink upgrades will reduce the
need for travel and hospital visits. He welcomes the added reassurance that the new developments
offer patients, “Early proactive notice of any pump changes has got to be good news.”
Dr Anne McCune, consultant hepatologist in the department of Medicine and Surgery at University
Hospitals Bristol, leads the clinical trial team participating in a randomised controlled trial investigating
alfapump technology vs. regular paracentesis in patients with liver cirrhosis and refractory large
volume ascites.
Dr McCune explains, “When patients have cirrhosis, the liver and kidneys stop working properly and
patients can accumulate litres and litres of fluid in their abdomens which can be very painful. They
might need to come to hospital fortnightly to have up to 15 litres drained from their tummy. The
alfapump can avoid this by draining about 15 millilitres every 15 minutes. It means they'll pass a little
bit more urine but we can program the pump to switch off at night for comfort. The new DirectLink
Technology, which allows the alfapump to be monitored remotely, will ensure that the programmed
therapy has been accurately delivered. The pump has the potential to improve quality of life for our
liver patients and keep them out of hospital for longer periods. The study is ongoing and will evaluate
both the clinical and cost-effectiveness of this exciting device.”
Noel Johnson, the CEO of Sequana Medical explains, “We are very pleased with the improvement in
clinical outcomes and patient quality of life seen with the alfapump therapy as ascites patients live free
from repeat large volume paracentesis, avoiding the risk of current therapeutic options. Now with the
remote monitoring enabled by the DirectLink Technology we expect to see increased efficiencies for
healthcare professionals and an increased feeling of security for the patient.”
The full launch of the new alfapump system will take place in December 2014 to the main European
markets (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway), expanding to other
countries in 2015 with some restrictions regarding the SIM card activation.
Download the full press release at www.sequanamedical.com.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About Sequana Medical
Founded in 2006, Sequana Medical AG is a Swiss medical device company backed by NeoMed
Management, VI Partners, Biomed Invest, Capricorn Venture Partners, Entrepreneurs Fund and Life
Science Partners, and is dedicated to improving patient lives through innovative technologies to
manage fluid overload in patients suffering from liver disease, cancer and congestive heart failure. For
more information please visit www.sequanamedical.com.
About alfapump and DirectLink technology
The alfapump device, which is implanted beneath the skin of the abdomen, is smaller than two
matchboxes, and works by pumping fluid from the abdomen into the bladder, where it is removed from
the body naturally through urination.
From December 2014, the alfapump system will be delivered in the European market with new and
redefined features. A key new feature, DirectLink Technology, allows remote monitoring of pump
activity. Pump data is collected daily by the Smart Charger and transferred via the mobile phone
network to Sequana Medical secure servers where it is stored and analysed. The Company will be
able to provide physicians with a periodic overview of alfapump system activity. Should an alfapump
system parameter, such as battery level, fall outside of a defined range, Sequana Medical can alert
the physician, who can take the appropriate action.
Identifying changes in pump activity or patient requirements early enhances pump safety. Addressing
issues early can save physician time and hospital resources thereby increasing efficiency for
healthcare professionals. Patient management becomes much easier for doctors and medical teams,
as they automatically receive analysed log data in their inbox, rather than having to download logfiles
and manually send them to Sequana Medical for analysis. In addition, it should give patients a greater
feeling of confidence with the knowledge that their alfapump system is being automatically and
constantly monitored. This key feature supports scalability for Sequana Medical by automating a
significant portion of the pump data analysis process.
In addition to the DirectLink Technology feature, enhancements have been made to the performance
of the alfapump and the design of the Smart Charger.
The new generation alfapump system with DirectLink Technology allows ascites patients to live free
from the need for repeat large volume paracentesis, achieving better quality of life by reducing the
number of visits to the hospital and avoiding the risk of current therapeutic options.
For more information please visit www.alfapump.com.
About refractory ascites
In patients with refractory ascites, up to 15 litres of fluid can gather around the abdominal organs and
it is impossible for this fluid to be removed from the body through medication. Ascites can make
patients look pregnant, as well as being painful and taking away the appetite, making patients weak
and leading to malnutrition. These patients may have to make weekly or monthly trips to the hospital in
order to have the fluid drained from their abdomen by paracentesis. The alfapump provides a simple
solution to ascites and experts hope it could even help the liver regenerate.
Contact
Sequana Medical
Emily Woodward
Director of Marketing
[email protected]
Phone +41 44 403 55 21
www.sequanamedical.com
www.alfapump.com