Trading Update & Board Change
Deltex Medical Group PLC
08 January 2003
8 January 2003
Deltex Medical Group plc ('Deltex Medical' / 'Company')
Trading Statement and Appointment of new Chief Executive
Chichester, United Kingdom - Deltex Medical (AIM: DEMG) today announces an
update on trading for the year ended 31 December 2002.
The Directors expect that sales for the year will be approximately £1.8 million,
representing an annual growth in sales of 40% for the second consecutive year.
This increase illustrates the growing acceptance within the medical community of
the benefits of non-invasive, real-time monitoring of haemodynamic status. The
worldwide installed base of the Company's CardioQ monitor has increased by more
than a third to over 800 at the year end, with sales of Single Patient Probes
growing from 18,000 to 24,000 units. In addition, the new single use DP6 and
DP12 probes were launched at the end of December following a very successful
introductory test period and it is expected that usage of these low cost probes
will enhance growth in 2003. The cash position ended the year on target at
approximately £2 million.
Growth has been particularly strong in the UK business where distribution was
taken in-house on 1 July 2002. The momentum generated by Deltex Medical's sales
and clinical training teams has resulted in record sales in the UK of Single
Patient Probes in three of the last four months of 2002, with Single Patient
Probe sales in December over 50% ahead of the previous record month. The
majority of probe sales in the UK are now covered by long-term purchase
commitments from the hospitals. However, despite the accelerating demand for
the Company's technology, the ongoing cash constraints of the National Health
Service did restrict monitor sales during the year. Deltex Medical has
responded to this by placing CardioQs in hospitals against standing orders for
probes instead of waiting for the capital budgets to become available. Whilst
impacting on sales revenues in the year to 31 December 2002, this action has
increased the sustainable revenue base.
Outside the UK, the Company continues its previously announced policy of
focusing sales activity on those markets in which early returns can be expected.
Deltex Medical also today announces that Andy Hill, who joined the Company as
Chief Operating Officer on 1 September 2002, has been appointed Chief Executive
with immediate effect.
Andy, aged 40, has over 15 years' experience in the medical devices industry,
progressing through a variety of sales, marketing and general management roles.
Prior to joining Deltex Medical, Andy was responsible for establishing and
growing the European operations of early stage US medical device businesses such
as Perclose Inc, PercuSurge Inc and Acorn Cardiovascular Inc. Andy has a BSc in
biochemistry and botany and an MBA.
Nigel Keen, Deltex Medical's Chairman, commented:
'The year to 31 December 2002 was one of substantial achievement for Deltex
Medical. We have passed a large number of significant milestones both in
establishing an extremely strong base for our UK business and in focusing our
activities on those markets where we can expect early returns from our
investment. In addition we have introduced an exciting new range of disposable
products which allow clinicians lower cost access to our technology and we have
expanded our manufacturing capacity to allow us to meet the demand for our
disposable products which we are seeing from the markets which we serve.
'Andy Hill's appointment brings to us marketing and general management
experience gained from international high tech medical device companies.
He will help us complete our drive towards profitability.'
For further information, please contact:-
Deltex Medical Group plc
+44 (0)1243 774837
Nigel Keen, Chairman
Andy Hill, Chief Executive
Ewan Phillips, Finance Director
Financial Dynamics
+44 (0)20 7831 3113
Stephanie Highett
Notes to Editors:-
Deltex Medical primarily develops, assembles and markets a cardiac function
monitor and therapy guidance device, the CardioQ ('CardioQ'/'Monitor'). The
CardioQ incorporates the Company's proprietary software and a narrow,
easy-to-use, minimally invasive, disposable oesophageal probe, used for
transmitting and receiving an ultra-sound ('Doppler') signal. By using this
Doppler technology, the CardioQ provides clinicians with an early warning on the
haemodynamic condition of critically ill patients. This continuous, real-time
monitoring facilitates the administration of fluids or drugs in a timely fashion
and provides an immediate assessment of their impact.
There are now over 800 CardioQs currently in use in hospitals worldwide and
distribution arrangements are in place in over 30 countries. In addition, there
are currently more than 75 clinical publications on the use of the CardioQ which
have repeatedly:-
• validated the results of the Monitor against known standards for measuring
cardiac output, demonstrating that the technology works
• proved that the CardioQ works over a variety of types of operation
• shown that the Company's technology provides significant health and
economic benefits by helping to reduce post-operative complications and
length of hospital stays by an average of 30 to 40 per cent for a wide range
of patients.
The Company is also currently developing a number of new products:-
• the SupraQ - a monitor based on the CardioQ technology but using a
completely non-invasive probe; the prototype is being prepared for clinical
testing
• the NeuroQ - a monitor designed to measure blood flow in the brain; the
new prototype is in preparation for clinical trials.
Deltex Medical believes the potential worldwide market for the CardioQ and its
accompanying probes exceeds £1 billion per annum.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange