Woman injured in ‘big cat' zoo bite
Emergency services were called to the Darling Downs Zoo, a popular wildlife park near Toowoomba, about 8.30am on Sunday morning following reports a woman had been bitten by a 'big cat'.
The woman, reportedly an employee of the zoo, was flown to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital in a stable condition.
In a brief Facebook post published on Sunday morning, the Zoo said it would be 'closed all day today' due to 'unforeseen circumstances.'
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3 hours ago
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The hidden tax for those living outside Australian capital cities: 'A big strain'
An Australian business owner who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive type of throat cancer is calling for better accessibility to healthcare for those living outside the nation's major cities, and greater awareness when it comes to treatment plans and insurance. Phil Leahy, from Port Douglas in Queensland's far north, was diagnosed with p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) earlier this year. It's a type of throat cancer that typically starts in the tonsils or base of the tongue and is commonly linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV). The Queenslander was forced to leave his home and relocate to Brisbane to embark on an eight-week treatment plan that involves both radiation and chemotherapy. Phil founded his own business MedCart five years ago — a marketplace for medical, healthcare and pharmacy supplies — but was forced to take a major step back when he received his diagnosis. His wife Annabel has taken over the reins from Phil as CEO while he's out of action, and, since falling ill, has also become the primary caretaker of the home. Speaking to Yahoo News, Phil said that because their property is located within a rainforest, it requires regular maintenance, meaning Annabel isn't able to join him in Brisbane for treatment. He said between the cost of travelling back and forth, paying for everyday expenses — including food and transport — and the emotional toll of being separated from your partner, Australians living regionally face a much tougher challenge when it comes to accessing life-saving healthcare. "Because Cairns doesn't offer dual treatment of chemo and radiation, I was forced to go to Brisbane," he said. "So in Far North Queensland, we're at a disadvantage there. And then you've got to think about all those extra costs of going interstate. "There's the accommodation challenge. We were lucky to get an Airbnb that was quite cheap — I think it was $70 a night. But it can be anywhere from $200 a night to $335 or $400 a night for a 49-night stay. My wife is acting as CEO, she's got to manage the house and also the business without me there, so it's a big strain." Phil said he initially opted for private care, thinking it would offer better flexibility and access. But he was surprised to learn that public hospital admission could have covered nearly all his treatment and support, something he only discovered after experiencing substantial out-of-pocket expenses. "I'm 60 years old, and I've been paying for private healthcare from the age of 18 — and I've been thinking twice about that now, if I could roll that back — it's very expensive." Australia records highest rates of 'aggressive' cancer in the world Risky activity Gen Z admit they love despite dire warning Aussie family's remarkable bravery after baby girl's tragic diagnosis With private health insurance in Australia, patients can choose their own hospital and specialist and may avoid long public waitlists. But many costs still aren't fully covered. As an outpatient staying nearby during treatment, Phil had to cover expenses like accommodation, meals, transport, and medications out of pocket, despite having paid for private health insurance for decades. In contrast, the public healthcare system offers broader coverage if you're admitted as a public patient in a public hospital. Under Medicare, most hospital-based treatments — including accommodation, chemotherapy, radiation, and medications — are fully covered. Phil later realised that had he gone through the public system and been admitted to a hospital, the majority of his expenses may have been taken care of. He believes many regional Australians aren't fully informed about how public and private care differ in practice, especially when it comes to serious illnesses like cancer. According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), people living in rural and remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisations, deaths, and injury compared to those in major cities. These Australians often need to travel long distances or relocate to access health services or receive specialised treatment. Phil's now calling for clearer guidance, better support systems, and improved access to life-saving treatment for those living outside metropolitan areas. "I'm meant to be at the end of treatment — they said after seven to 10 days, things should start to get better. But at the moment, they're getting worse. So I'm hoping I don't have to go back, but I might have to," Phil said. "[People should] have a good think about whether they want to declare that they're going private. They might want to just go with public and get everything covered. "I'll tell you that the doctors and nurses going down the private road were fantastic, and I wouldn't change that. But I didn't know what the other side was like either." A fundraiser to assist Phil and his family with costs has been established and can be viewed here. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Johnson & Johnson Launches VARIPULSE™ Platform across Asia-Pacific, Advancing Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
The VARIPULSE™ Platform is the first Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) system fully integrated with the CARTO™ 3 electroanatomical mapping system, designed to drive efficiency, reproducibility, and procedural accuracy.1,i,ii,iii,iv,v,vi,vii,viii,ix The VARIPULSE™ Platform is approved in Japan, Hong Kong, China, Australia, Taiwan and Korea. IRVINE, Calif., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in cardiac arrhythmia treatment, today announced the launch of the VARIPULSE™ Platform in Asia-Pacific. The platform is used to perform catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and often rapid heartbeat caused by extra, uncoordinated electrical signals in the atria.x AFib is associated with structural changes in the heart due to underlying conditions and lifestyle factors.x,xi It significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality. The VARIPULSE™ Platform is the first PFA technology designed to streamline ablation and mapping through a single integrated workflow with the CARTO™ 3 System. This 3D electroanatomical cardiac mapping technology enables real-time visualization and supports precision, efficiency, reproducibility, and procedural accuracy for physicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib)xii. It enables safe and efficienti,ii,iii,iv,v,vi,vii, patient-centric therapy with minimal to no fluoroscopy exposurexiii,xiv,xv and is compatible with deep and/or conscious sedation.2,xvi,xvii This innovation is backed by compelling clinical evidence. Both the inspIRE and admIRE clinical trials demonstrated strong safety and effectiveness of the VARIPULSE™ Platform: In inspIRE, 80% of patients achieved freedom from recurrence with zero primary adverse In admIRE, results showed a 75% overall primary effectiveness success rate3, a 2.9% primary adverse event rate4,xix, 100% of patients achieved acute procedural success5, 43% had same-day discharge, and 25% of procedures were performed without fluoroscopy6. In the ongoing VARIPURE registry, which included first-time users, there were no serious adverse events and no complications linked to the platform, including zero neurovascular events or coronary spasmsxx. "The introduction of the VARIPULSE™ Platform in the Asia-Pacific region marks a significant advancement towards our goal of transforming atrial fibrillation care," stated Jing Li, Vice President, Electrophysiology & Neurovascular, Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Asia Pacific. "The adoption of the VARIPULSE™ Platform could demonstrate the unique value of integration with CARTO™ 3D to enhance efficiencies in the workflow of AFib treatment and improve patient outcomes." Atrial Fibrillation affects over 16 million people in Asia-Pacificxxi. Symptoms and clinical consequences of AFib disrupt patient's quality of life. The most common symptoms are heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and dizzinessxxii. As a progressive condition, early intervention is critical to reducing the risk of stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular mortalityxxiii. Unlike traditional ablation methods that use heat or cold, PFA uses short bursts of energy to affect heart tissue, potentially reducing the risk of damage to surrounding tissue such as the esophagus, pulmonary veins, and phrenic nerve. "PFA, as a new type of energy, has the potential to further enhance the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation treatment, which is desirable for patients" said Dr. Yasuo Okumura7, Professor and Department Head, Vice Hospital Director, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. "PFA is a relatively new medical technology, and therefore it is important to continue to assess its effectiveness and efficacy in Asia while ensuring proper use. But so far, we know that the integration of PFA technology with 3D mapping enables physicians to review their procedure in detail, and this contributes to quality of healthcare for patients." About the VARIPULSE™ PlatformThe VARIPULSE™ Platform is Johnson & Johnson MedTech's Pulsed Field ablation system. The fully integrated platform includes the VARIPULSE™ Catheter, TRUPULSE™ Generator, and CARTO™ 3 Mapping System VARIPULSE™ Software. The Platform is now approved for use in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Canada. Cardiovascular Solutions from Johnson & Johnson MedTechAcross Johnson & Johnson, we are tackling the world's most complex and pervasive health challenges. Through a cardiovascular portfolio that provides healthcare professionals with advanced mapping and navigation, miniaturized tech, and precise ablation we are addressing conditions with significant unmet needs such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. We are the global leaders in heart recovery, circulatory restoration, and the treatment of heart rhythm disorders, as well as an emerging leader in neurovascular care, committed to taking on two of the leading causes of death worldwide in heart failure and stroke. For more, visit About Johnson & JohnsonAt Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more about our MedTech sector's global scale and deep expertise in surgery, orthopaedics, vision, and cardiovascular solutions at Follow us at @JNJMedTech and on LinkedIn. Biosense Webster, Inc. is a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the VARIPULSE™ Platform. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: uncertainty of commercial success; challenges to patents; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; manufacturing difficulties and delays; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in Johnson & Johnson's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. © Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates 2025. All rights reserved. M_US_ELP_NAVI_403012 ________________________________________ 1 When compared to procedures that did not use navigation systems. 2 Based on a subset of 29 deep sedation patients from the inspIRE study and 60 patients in inspIRE study. Procedures completed under sedation vs general anesthesia had comparable safety rates and procedure times, demonstrating safety and procedural efficiency. 3 Primary effectiveness was defined as 12-month freedom from documented (symptomatic or asymptomatic) atrial tachyarrhythmia (atrial fibrillation [AF]/atrial tachycardia [AT]/atrial flutter [AF]) episodes of ≥30 seconds duration based on rhythm monitoring during the post-blanking evaluation period (day 91-365), as well as freedom from other failure modes: failure to achieve entrance block in all PVs; >1 repeat ablation for atrial tachyarrhythmia during the 3-month blanking period or any repeat ablation during the evaluation period; use of a nonstudy catheter to treat the PVs and/or to ablate left atrial non-PV AF targets during the index procedure or to perform a repeat procedure during the 3-month blanking period; taking new or previously failed Class I/III AADs at greater doses during the evaluation period; continuous AF/AT/AFL of unknown origin during the evaluation period; or direct-current cardioversion during the evaluation period for AF/AT/AFL recurrences. The protocol defined performance goal is 50%. 4 Primary adverse events included device- or procedure- related death, major vascular access complications or bleeding, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, heart block, permanent phrenic nerve paralysis, stroke, thromboembolism, transient ischemic attack, pulmonary edema, and vagal nerve injury/gastroparesis within 7 days of the index ablation procedure. PAEs also included cardiac tamponade/perforation occurring up to 30 days post-procedure, atrioesophageal fistula occurring up to 90 days postprocedure, and PV stenosis occurring anytime during the 12-month follow-up period. The protocol-defined performance goal was 12%. 5 Acute procedural success was defined as the percent of participants with electrical isolation of all PVs with confirmed entrance block at the end of the procedure (n=255). 6 Visualization performed with ICE and the CARTO™ 3 System. 7 Dr. Okumura serves as a consultant for Johnson & Johnson but was not compensated for this announcement ________________________________________ i Duytschaever M, De Potter T, Grimaldi M, et al. Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Using a Novel Variable-Loop Biphasic Pulsed Field Ablation Catheter Integrated With a 3-Dimensional Mapping System: 1-Year Outcomes of the Multicenter inspIRE Study. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2023;16(3):e011780. doi:10.1161/CIRCEP.122.011780 pg 4 ii Reddy VY, Calkins H, Mansour M, Wazni O, Di Biase L, Bahu M, Newton D, Liu CF, Sauer WH, Goyal S, Iyer V, Nair D, Athill C, Hussein A, Whalen P, Melby D, Natale A; AdmIRE Trial Investigators. Pulsed Field Ablation to Treat Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Safety and Effectiveness in the AdmIRE Pivotal Trial. Circulation. 2024 Oct 8 pg 8 iii Anter, E., Mansour, M., Nair, D.G. et al. Dual-energy lattice-tip ablation system for persistent atrial fibrillation: a randomized trial. Nat Med 30, 2303–2310 (2024). pg 2 iv Reddy VY, Lehmann JW, Gerstenfeld EP, Mugglin AS, Schneider CW, Achyutha AB, Mansour M. A randomized controlled trial of pulsed field ablation versus standard-of-care ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: The ADVENT trial rationale and design. Heart Rhythm O2. 2023 Mar 8;4(5):317-328. doi: 10.1016/ PMID: 37323994; PMCID: PMC10264259. Pg 6 v VOLT CE Mark Study: Long-term safety and effectiveness of de novo PVI intreating AF. pg 3 vi Scherr D, Turagam MK, Maury P, Blaauw Y, van der Voort P, Neuzil P, et al. Repeat procedures after pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation: MANIFEST-REDO study. Europace. 2025;2025(1):euaf012. doi:10.1093/europace/euaf012. Pg 4 results section vii Seemala SKR, Musikantow DR, Perdomo C, Malyshev Y, Ambesh P, Saleem M, et al. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) to treat atrial fibrillation and related arrhythmias: one-year outcomes of the VIRTUE trial. Poster PO-FP-006. Pg 1 viii Fink T, Sciacca V, Bannmann K, et al. First experience using a novel variable loop catheter for mapping and pulsed field ablation of atrial fibrillation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2025 May;48(5):471-479. doi:10.1111/pace.15177. Epub 2025 Mar 28. PMID:40153431; PMCID:PMC12063197 ix Fink T, Sciacca V, Bannmann K, et al. First experience using a novel variable loop catheter for mapping and pulsed field ablation of atrial fibrillation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2025 Mar 28. doi:10.1111/pace.15177. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40153431. x Laizzo PA. Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices. 2015. Springer Science+Business Media. LLC: Switzerland xi Staerk L, Sherer JA, Ko D, Benjamin EJ, Helm RH. Atrial Fibrillation: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Clinical Outcomes. Circ Res. 2017;120(9):1501-1517 xii Di Biase L, Zou F, Lin AN, et al. Feasibility of Three-Dimensional Artificial Intelligence Algorithm Integration with Intracardiac Echocardiography for Left Atrial Imaging During Atrial Fibrillation Catheter Ablation. Europace. 2023 Aug 2;25(9):euad211. xiii Debreceni D, Janosi K, Bocz B, et al. (2023). Zero fluoroscopy catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med;10:1178783. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1178783 xiv Rajendra A, Hunter TD, Morales GX, et al. (2023). Steerable sheath visualizable under 3D electroanatomical mapping facilitates paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ablation with minimal fluoroscopy. J Interv Card Electrophysiol;66(2):381-388. doi: 10.1007/s10840-022-01332-8. xv Tahin T, Riba A, Nemeth B, et al. (2021). Implementation of a zero fluoroscopic workflow using a simplified intracardiac echocardiography guided method for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, including repeat procedures. BMC Cardiovasc Disord;21(1):407. doi: 10.1186/s12872-021-02219-8. xvi Grimaldi M, Quadrini F, Caporusso N, et al. Deep sedation protocol during atrial fibrillation ablation using a novel variable-loop biphasic pulsed field ablation catheter. Europace. 2023;25(9):euad222. doi:10.1093/europace/euad222. PMID: 37470452; PMCID: PMC10434733. xvii De Potter T, Grimaldi M, Duytschaever M, Anic A, Vijgen J, Neuzil P, Van Herendael H, Verma A, Skanes A, Scherr D, Pürerfellner H, Rackauskas G, Jais P, Reddy VY, et al; inspIRE Trial Investigators. Predictors of success for pulmonary vein isolation with pulsed-field ablation using a variable-loop catheter with 3D mapping integration: complete 12-month outcomes from inspIRE. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2024;17(5):e012667. doi:10.1161/CIRCEP.123.012667. Epub 2024 Apr 24. PMID: 38655693; PMCID: PMC11111320. xviii Reddy V, Grimaldi M, Duytschaever M, Anic A. Predictors of Success for Pulmonary Vein Isolation with Pulsed Field Ablation Using a Variable Loop Catheter with 3D Mapping Integration: Complete 12-month outcomes from inspIRE [abstract]. In: AF Symposium.; February 2-4; Boston. xix Reddy V, Calkins H, Mansour M, et al. Pulsed field ablation to treat paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: safety and effectiveness in the admIRE pivotal trial. Circulation. Published online September 11, 2024. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.070333. xx Bessière F, Kronborg MB, Sommer P, et al. Evaluating Safety Profile and Learning Curve With a Pulsed Field Ablation Variable Loop Circular Catheter in Procedures for AF: Observations From a Prospective, Multicenter, Postmarket Clinical Trial. Presented at HRS 2025; April 27, 2025; San Diego, CA. xxi Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network (2017) Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 (GBD 2017) Results. Seattle, United States: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), 2017. Accessed 2019-07-16. Available from xxii American Heart Association . (2024, August 12). What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?. xxiii Joglar JA, Chung MK, Armbruster AL, et al. 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines [published correction appears in Circulation. 2024 Jan 2;149(1):e167]. Circulation. 2024;149(1):e1-e156. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001193 Media contacts:Carlos Taveras Ctaveras@ FarleyEfarley1@ View original content: SOURCE Johnson & Johnson MedTech Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Johnson & Johnson Launches VARIPULSE™ Platform across Asia-Pacific, Advancing Atrial Fibrillation Treatment
The VARIPULSE™ Platform is the first Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) system fully integrated with the CARTO™ 3 electroanatomical mapping system, designed to drive efficiency, reproducibility, and procedural accuracy.1,i,ii,iii,iv,v,vi,vii,viii,ix The VARIPULSE™ Platform is approved in Japan, Hong Kong, China, Australia, Taiwan and Korea. IRVINE, Calif., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in cardiac arrhythmia treatment, today announced the launch of the VARIPULSE™ Platform in Asia-Pacific. The platform is used to perform catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and often rapid heartbeat caused by extra, uncoordinated electrical signals in the atria.x AFib is associated with structural changes in the heart due to underlying conditions and lifestyle factors.x,xi It significantly increases the risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality. The VARIPULSE™ Platform is the first PFA technology designed to streamline ablation and mapping through a single integrated workflow with the CARTO™ 3 System. This 3D electroanatomical cardiac mapping technology enables real-time visualization and supports precision, efficiency, reproducibility, and procedural accuracy for physicians treating patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib)xii. It enables safe and efficienti,ii,iii,iv,v,vi,vii, patient-centric therapy with minimal to no fluoroscopy exposurexiii,xiv,xv and is compatible with deep and/or conscious sedation.2,xvi,xvii This innovation is backed by compelling clinical evidence. Both the inspIRE and admIRE clinical trials demonstrated strong safety and effectiveness of the VARIPULSE™ Platform: In inspIRE, 80% of patients achieved freedom from recurrence with zero primary adverse In admIRE, results showed a 75% overall primary effectiveness success rate3, a 2.9% primary adverse event rate4,xix, 100% of patients achieved acute procedural success5, 43% had same-day discharge, and 25% of procedures were performed without fluoroscopy6. In the ongoing VARIPURE registry, which included first-time users, there were no serious adverse events and no complications linked to the platform, including zero neurovascular events or coronary spasmsxx. "The introduction of the VARIPULSE™ Platform in the Asia-Pacific region marks a significant advancement towards our goal of transforming atrial fibrillation care," stated Jing Li, Vice President, Electrophysiology & Neurovascular, Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Asia Pacific. "The adoption of the VARIPULSE™ Platform could demonstrate the unique value of integration with CARTO™ 3D to enhance efficiencies in the workflow of AFib treatment and improve patient outcomes." Atrial Fibrillation affects over 16 million people in Asia-Pacificxxi. Symptoms and clinical consequences of AFib disrupt patient's quality of life. The most common symptoms are heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, and dizzinessxxii. As a progressive condition, early intervention is critical to reducing the risk of stroke, heart failure, and cardiovascular mortalityxxiii. Unlike traditional ablation methods that use heat or cold, PFA uses short bursts of energy to affect heart tissue, potentially reducing the risk of damage to surrounding tissue such as the esophagus, pulmonary veins, and phrenic nerve. "PFA, as a new type of energy, has the potential to further enhance the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation treatment, which is desirable for patients" said Dr. Yasuo Okumura7, Professor and Department Head, Vice Hospital Director, Nihon University School of Medicine, Itabashi Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. "PFA is a relatively new medical technology, and therefore it is important to continue to assess its effectiveness and efficacy in Asia while ensuring proper use. But so far, we know that the integration of PFA technology with 3D mapping enables physicians to review their procedure in detail, and this contributes to quality of healthcare for patients." About the VARIPULSE™ PlatformThe VARIPULSE™ Platform is Johnson & Johnson MedTech's Pulsed Field ablation system. The fully integrated platform includes the VARIPULSE™ Catheter, TRUPULSE™ Generator, and CARTO™ 3 Mapping System VARIPULSE™ Software. The Platform is now approved for use in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Canada. Cardiovascular Solutions from Johnson & Johnson MedTechAcross Johnson & Johnson, we are tackling the world's most complex and pervasive health challenges. Through a cardiovascular portfolio that provides healthcare professionals with advanced mapping and navigation, miniaturized tech, and precise ablation we are addressing conditions with significant unmet needs such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, stroke, and atrial fibrillation. We are the global leaders in heart recovery, circulatory restoration, and the treatment of heart rhythm disorders, as well as an emerging leader in neurovascular care, committed to taking on two of the leading causes of death worldwide in heart failure and stroke. For more, visit About Johnson & JohnsonAt Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow and profoundly impact health for humanity. Learn more about our MedTech sector's global scale and deep expertise in surgery, orthopaedics, vision, and cardiovascular solutions at Follow us at @JNJMedTech and on LinkedIn. Biosense Webster, Inc. is a Johnson & Johnson MedTech company. Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding the VARIPULSE™ Platform. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: uncertainty of commercial success; challenges to patents; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; manufacturing difficulties and delays; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in Johnson & Johnson's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Johnson & Johnson does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. © Johnson & Johnson and its affiliates 2025. All rights reserved. M_US_ELP_NAVI_403012 ________________________________________ 1 When compared to procedures that did not use navigation systems. 2 Based on a subset of 29 deep sedation patients from the inspIRE study and 60 patients in inspIRE study. Procedures completed under sedation vs general anesthesia had comparable safety rates and procedure times, demonstrating safety and procedural efficiency. 3 Primary effectiveness was defined as 12-month freedom from documented (symptomatic or asymptomatic) atrial tachyarrhythmia (atrial fibrillation [AF]/atrial tachycardia [AT]/atrial flutter [AF]) episodes of ≥30 seconds duration based on rhythm monitoring during the post-blanking evaluation period (day 91-365), as well as freedom from other failure modes: failure to achieve entrance block in all PVs; >1 repeat ablation for atrial tachyarrhythmia during the 3-month blanking period or any repeat ablation during the evaluation period; use of a nonstudy catheter to treat the PVs and/or to ablate left atrial non-PV AF targets during the index procedure or to perform a repeat procedure during the 3-month blanking period; taking new or previously failed Class I/III AADs at greater doses during the evaluation period; continuous AF/AT/AFL of unknown origin during the evaluation period; or direct-current cardioversion during the evaluation period for AF/AT/AFL recurrences. The protocol defined performance goal is 50%. 4 Primary adverse events included device- or procedure- related death, major vascular access complications or bleeding, myocardial infarction, pericarditis, heart block, permanent phrenic nerve paralysis, stroke, thromboembolism, transient ischemic attack, pulmonary edema, and vagal nerve injury/gastroparesis within 7 days of the index ablation procedure. PAEs also included cardiac tamponade/perforation occurring up to 30 days post-procedure, atrioesophageal fistula occurring up to 90 days postprocedure, and PV stenosis occurring anytime during the 12-month follow-up period. The protocol-defined performance goal was 12%. 5 Acute procedural success was defined as the percent of participants with electrical isolation of all PVs with confirmed entrance block at the end of the procedure (n=255). 6 Visualization performed with ICE and the CARTO™ 3 System. 7 Dr. Okumura serves as a consultant for Johnson & Johnson but was not compensated for this announcement ________________________________________ i Duytschaever M, De Potter T, Grimaldi M, et al. Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Using a Novel Variable-Loop Biphasic Pulsed Field Ablation Catheter Integrated With a 3-Dimensional Mapping System: 1-Year Outcomes of the Multicenter inspIRE Study. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2023;16(3):e011780. doi:10.1161/CIRCEP.122.011780 pg 4 ii Reddy VY, Calkins H, Mansour M, Wazni O, Di Biase L, Bahu M, Newton D, Liu CF, Sauer WH, Goyal S, Iyer V, Nair D, Athill C, Hussein A, Whalen P, Melby D, Natale A; AdmIRE Trial Investigators. Pulsed Field Ablation to Treat Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Safety and Effectiveness in the AdmIRE Pivotal Trial. Circulation. 2024 Oct 8 pg 8 iii Anter, E., Mansour, M., Nair, D.G. et al. Dual-energy lattice-tip ablation system for persistent atrial fibrillation: a randomized trial. Nat Med 30, 2303–2310 (2024). pg 2 iv Reddy VY, Lehmann JW, Gerstenfeld EP, Mugglin AS, Schneider CW, Achyutha AB, Mansour M. A randomized controlled trial of pulsed field ablation versus standard-of-care ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: The ADVENT trial rationale and design. Heart Rhythm O2. 2023 Mar 8;4(5):317-328. doi: 10.1016/ PMID: 37323994; PMCID: PMC10264259. Pg 6 v VOLT CE Mark Study: Long-term safety and effectiveness of de novo PVI intreating AF. pg 3 vi Scherr D, Turagam MK, Maury P, Blaauw Y, van der Voort P, Neuzil P, et al. Repeat procedures after pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation: MANIFEST-REDO study. Europace. 2025;2025(1):euaf012. doi:10.1093/europace/euaf012. Pg 4 results section vii Seemala SKR, Musikantow DR, Perdomo C, Malyshev Y, Ambesh P, Saleem M, et al. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) to treat atrial fibrillation and related arrhythmias: one-year outcomes of the VIRTUE trial. Poster PO-FP-006. Pg 1 viii Fink T, Sciacca V, Bannmann K, et al. First experience using a novel variable loop catheter for mapping and pulsed field ablation of atrial fibrillation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2025 May;48(5):471-479. doi:10.1111/pace.15177. Epub 2025 Mar 28. PMID:40153431; PMCID:PMC12063197 ix Fink T, Sciacca V, Bannmann K, et al. First experience using a novel variable loop catheter for mapping and pulsed field ablation of atrial fibrillation. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2025 Mar 28. doi:10.1111/pace.15177. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40153431. x Laizzo PA. Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices. 2015. Springer Science+Business Media. LLC: Switzerland xi Staerk L, Sherer JA, Ko D, Benjamin EJ, Helm RH. 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Seattle, United States: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), 2017. Accessed 2019-07-16. Available from xxii American Heart Association . (2024, August 12). What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?. xxiii Joglar JA, Chung MK, Armbruster AL, et al. 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines [published correction appears in Circulation. 2024 Jan 2;149(1):e167]. Circulation. 2024;149(1):e1-e156. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001193 Media contacts:Carlos Taveras Ctaveras@ FarleyEfarley1@ View original content: SOURCE Johnson & Johnson MedTech Sign in to access your portfolio
