Video: Kyphon and International Myeloma Foundation Partner to Raise Awareness of Multiple Myeloma Through National Education Pro

'Myeloma Mobile' To Visit Kyphon's Sunnyvale Headquarters 


SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 12  /PRNewswire/ -- Kyphon Inc. (NASDAQ:KYPH) today announced its partnership with the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) to raise awareness about multiple myeloma and the various treatment options available to the more than 750,000 people worldwide afflicted with the disease.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/kyphon/28925/

Myeloma is the second most common blood cancer after lymphomas. Myeloma is a cancer of the white blood cells and often results in the destruction of bone tissue, resulting in painful fractures. Frequently, the first symptoms of myeloma are pain in the lower back due to vertebral compression fractures that occur in the absence of injury. Approximately 55-70% of those with multiple myeloma suffer vertebral compression fractures. Today, many new drug therapies allow myeloma patients to maintain their daily lives for years and decades. However, the painful fractures caused by myeloma can significantly decrease the quality of life for myeloma patients. Kyphon develops and markets devices used in balloon kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of spinal compression fractures.

The IMF's Myeloma Mobile, which Kyphon sponsors to assist the IMF in raising awareness and educating people across the United States and Canada about myeloma and the need for increased support and resources for those touched by the disease, will be visiting Kyphon's Sunnyvale headquarters from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. PDT today, July 12, 2007.  The Myeloma Mobile is the brainchild of Michael Tuohy of Prospect, CT, who was diagnosed with myeloma when he was just 36 years old.  Michael is traveling with his wife, Robin, and their two children around North America to assist the IMF in its cause.

Jeffrey Martinez, a 47-year-old from San Jose, CA, is a myeloma patient who has benefited from balloon kyphoplasty and will be at Kyphon to welcome the Myeloma Mobile.  "When I was diagnosed with myeloma, I was in so much back pain that I had to use a walker to get around, and I couldn't bend over or stand up for any period of time," said Martinez. "Within two weeks of having seven vertebral compression fractures treated with balloon kyphoplasty, I got rid of my walker and was completely off my pain medication. Today, my life is pretty much back to normal."

"Kyphon is proud to be a sponsor of the Myeloma Mobile, which is bringing nationwide attention to multiple myeloma," said Richard Mott, president and chief executive officer of Kyphon.  "Through our work with spine specialists across the country, we have seen the pain and suffering that myeloma patients endure as a result of their disease.  That is why we are working aggressively to improve the quality of life of myeloma patients by increasing awareness of and access to our balloon kyphoplasty procedure."

Balloon kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure in which orthopaedic balloons are used to gently elevate the fractured vertebra.  The procedure has been shown to achieve restoration of vertebral body height and correction of spinal deformity.  Additional benefits include significant and sustained reduction in back pain, significant and sustained improvement in quality of life and ability to perform activities of daily living, and significant and sustained improvement in mobility. Over 300,000 patients have been treated to date with balloon kyphoplasty worldwide.

Kyphon and the IMF are partnering to educate patients, physicians and health care professionals on the use of balloon kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures. Through development of resources such as education materials and sponsorship of patient and family seminars in the United States, Kyphon and the IMF are helping to better educate those touched by multiple myeloma.

About Kyphon

Kyphon develops and markets medical devices designed to restore and preserve spinal function and diagnose the source of low back pain using minimally invasive technologies.  The company's products are used in balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of spinal compression fractures caused by osteoporosis or cancer, in the Functional Anaesthetic Discography(TM) (F.A.D.(TM)) procedure for diagnosing the source of low back pain, and in the Interspinous Process Decompression (IPD(R)) procedure for treating lumbar spinal stenosis. More information about the company and its products can be found at http://www.kyphon.com/ and its patient education Web site, http://www.spinalfracture.com/.

Kyphon, KyphX and IPD are registered trademarks, and Functional Anaesthetic Discography and F.A.D. are trademarks, of Kyphon Inc.

About the International Myeloma Foundation

The International Myeloma Foundation is the oldest and largest myeloma organization, reaching more than 135,000 members in 113 countries worldwide. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE or http://www.myeloma.org/, and in Spanish at http://www.myelomala.org/. 

http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/kyphon/28925DATASOURCE: Kyphon Inc.



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