SAN DIEGO, Oct. 5, 2009 (PR Newswire Europe) -- v>

- Expands Current Therapy Range and Patient Reach through Acquisition

ResMed Inc. (NYSE: RMD), a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of sleep and respiratory medical equipment, announced today that it has acquired Laboratoires Narval. Based in France, Laboratoires Narval manufactures and distributes the Narval O.R.M.(TM), an innovative mandibular repositioning device (MRD) that offers a solution to patients for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), especially for those with mild OSA. With this acquisition, ResMed adds another therapy to supplement its existing positive airway pressure-based solutions, providing a broader offering for this patient group. ResMed plans to commercialize this device in selected European markets.

"Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disease that, left untreated, can have significant long-term impacts on the cardiovascular system, as well as impacts on other serious and chronic health issues," said Michael Farrell, Senior Vice President of the Sleep Business Unit, ResMed. "The gold-standard therapy for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. ResMed will now be able to provide an alternative solution for patients with mild obstructive sleep apnea as well as those with snoring. In addition, in France, there is reimbursement for MRD use as a second line treatment for severe OSA for those who are non-compliant on or refuse CPAP. We have found a good match in Narval as we both strive for clinical excellence and quality therapy solutions through market-leading innovation, education and service."

The Narval O.R.M. device is an effective and clinically proven mandibular repositioning device with unique features such as a patented articulation to ensure a physiological position of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) at night, developed with unique computer-aided design software that optimizes the design for each patient, and a scalable computer-aided manufacturing process (CAD/CAM).

"As part of ResMed, we are excited to further broaden the use of our novel and clinically proven O.R.M. device and to further develop our leading CAD/CAM technology," said Fabrice Paublant, Chief Executive Officer, Laboratoires Narval. "The team at Narval looks forward to working closely with ResMed to expand the marketing and distribution for our technology within Europe."

Sleep apnea is the most common sleep disorder, yet it remains vastly undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is closely linked with diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke. In obstructive sleep apnea, breathing is interrupted by a physical block to airflow, despite the effort to breathe. Obstructive sleep apnea is a very common disease that affects millions of people worldwide.