ResMed's Revolutionary Life Support Ventilation Platform -- Astral 100 and 150 Devices Now Available in the U.S.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ResMed (NYSE: RMD) has introduced the Astral™ 100 and Astral™ 150 devices in the United States. The Astral platform is ResMed's new generation of portable, lightweight, and user-friendly life support ventilators.

ResMed's new Astral life support ventilators offer unparalleled mobility and ease of use for patients suffering from neuromuscular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other adult and childhood respiratory disorders. The U.S. launch comes on the heels of Astral's successful introduction to European and select Asia-Pacific markets earlier this year.

Astral 100 and Astral 150 life support ventilators give freedom back to patients: they offer the best battery-to-weight ratio on the market with an eight-hour internal battery and a weight of only 7 lbs. Two optional eight-hour external batteries provide a total run-time of 24 hours. With this expanded mobility, chronically ill adult and pediatric patients who would otherwise be hospitalized can be safely treated away from the hospital for a more enriched life. Less time in the hospital can also mean reduced cost of care.

"Astral has been well-received in Europe and Asia-Pacific, and we're looking forward to U.S. patients enjoying more freedom and mobility, with an easier transition from hospital to home," said Geoff Neilson, president of ResMed's Respiratory Care strategic business unit. "The new Astral platform reflects our company's longstanding history of patient-centric design and innovation," said Neilson.

The Astral 150 life support ventilator received the prestigious Red Dot Product Design Award for 2014. Red Dot is the world's largest design competition.

Astral life support ventilators make set up simple and straightforward with a large touchscreen display and easy-to-navigate graphic user interface. The touchscreen functionality can be accessed without removing the device from its mobility bag, so patients can take advantage of the ventilator's enhanced portability.

Astral life support ventilators feature eight customizable breathing modes to ensure that patients receive optimal treatment to manage their respiratory requirements. These comfortable therapies can be adjusted to fit patient needs.

Astral 100 Life Support Ventilator

Astral 100 is the powerful, entry-level model in the new generation of ResMed's portable, lightweight and user-friendly life support ventilators. Key features of the Astral 100 life support ventilator include:

• Exceptional battery-life and portability: up to 24 hours
• Streamlined setup and operation
• Excellent leak compensation
• The ability to use non-invasively or invasively with a mask, mouthpiece, or tracheostomy
• A single valve circuit system with one integrated QuickConnect™ tube and leak circuit options
• Intuitive, easy-to-read touchscreen display with real-time pressure and flow data for a comprehensive picture of a patient's condition

Astral 150 Life Support Ventilator

The Astral 150 life support ventilator is an even more versatile solution that builds on the features of the Astral 100 life support ventilator by adding:

• A double-circuit system to more accurately measure a patient's exhaled breath in real time. This makes it an ideal choice for a wider range of patients, including children who have more sensitive respiratory needs
• Manual breath and sigh features to mimic natural breathing patterns, and the option to configure up to four ventilation programs that can be set to meet a patient's changing daily requirements
• The ability to monitor the percentage of enriched oxygen used by a patient

Both the Astral™ 100 and Astral™ 150 devices begin shipping in the US today.

About ResMed:
ResMed changes lives by developing, manufacturing and distributing medical equipment for treating, diagnosing, and managing sleep-disordered breathing, COPD, and other chronic diseases. We develop innovative products and solutions to improve the health and quality of life of those who suffer from these conditions, and we work to raise awareness of the potentially serious health consequences of untreated sleep-disordered breathing. For more information on ResMed, visit www.resmed.com.

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SOURCE ResMed Inc.