The COPD Foundation Welcomes Olympus to Our Corporate Partner Program
Washington, DC - Dec. 3, 2019 – The COPD Foundation is pleased to announce that Olympus Medical Systems Group, a global technology leader in designing and delivering innovative solutions for medical and surgical procedures, recently joined as a member of the Corporate Partner Program. The COPD Foundation began the corporate partners program in 2016 as a way to standardize the way in which we interact with external, corporate stakeholders with the shared mission of accelerating research, pioneering research and improving the lives of all individuals affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In December 2018, Olympus received approval from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for its Spiration Valve® System (SVS), intended for patients with severe emphysema. The valves are placed bronchoscopically in targeted airways of the lungs and, once in place, redirect air from diseased parts of the lungs to healthier areas, allowing the healthier lung tissue to expand and function more efficiently.
The primary results of the randomized clinical trial, entitled “Improving Lung Function in Severe Heterogenous Emphysema with the Spiration Valve® System (EMPROVE): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Trial” were measured six months after treatment and showed that SVS brings many benefits to patients, including improved lung function, target lobe volume reduction, decreased hyperinflation, a reduction in shortness of breath and an overall improvement in their quality of life. The study continued to follow patients and has now showed that improvement in measures important to patients such as lung function, shortness of breath and quality of life are durable through twelve months.
Emphysema is a progressive form of COPD that has affected 3.8 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease causes a loss of elasticity in lung tissue and enlargement of the alveoli. As a result, emphysematous lobes become hyperinflated, causing shortness of breath. The results of the EMPROVE trial and other randomized trials of valve therapy have led to the inclusion of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction therapy as an important component of the clinical therapy recommendations, for the underserved patient population with severe emphysema. The 2020 GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) Report has upgraded the evidence level rating for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves, including the Spiration Valve®, to the highest “A” rating. This evidence rating is based on results from randomized clinical trials with data from more than two clinical trials involving a substantial number of patients, including those treated with the SVS in the EMPROVE trial.
“We are thrilled to have Olympus on board as a corporate partner and we look forward to exploring new avenues of delivering state-of-the-art approaches to treating emphysema and COPD. Together, we can continue to improve the lives of all individuals affected by this disease,” said Sara Latham, Chief Operating Officer at the COPD Foundation.
“Through our new partnership, Olympus aims to help the COPD Foundation further its mission of improving the lives of those affected by COPD,” said Lynn Ray, Vice President/General Manager of Respiratory, Therapeutic Solutions Division, at Olympus America Inc. “We believe that therapeutic devices have great potential to help ease the suffering of people with chronic conditions, such as severe emphysema. The Spiration Valve® System is a great example of innovation made possible through collaboration among device manufacturers, physicians and medical societies.”
About the COPD Foundation
The COPD Foundation’s mission is to prevent and cure chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and improve the lives of all people affected by COPD. The Foundation’s activities focus on achieving these results through research, education and advocacy programs. To learn more about the COPD Foundation, please visit www.copdfoundation.org.
About Olympus Medical Systems Group
Olympus is a global technology leader, crafting innovative optical and digital solutions in medical technologies; life sciences; industrial solutions; and cameras and audio products. Their Medical Business works with health care professionals to combine our innovative capabilities in medical technology, therapeutic intervention, and precision manufacturing with their skills to deliver diagnostic, therapeutic and minimally invasive procedures to improve clinical outcomes, reduce overall costs and enhance quality of life for patients. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com.
Contact
The COPD Foundation
Bret Denning, Care Delivery & Communications Program Specialist
bdenning@copdfoundation.org
1-866-731-2673 ext. 201
Olympus Corporation of the Americas
Jennifer Bannan
Dir., Public Relations
Corporate and Medical Communications
jennifer.bannan@olympus.com
(412) 403-8742
i Centers for Disease Control. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Basics About COPD. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/copd.htm. Accessed November 22, 2019.
ii Global Strategy for Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD 2020. Retrieved from: https://goldcopd.org/gold-reports/. Accessed November 12, 2019.