BG Medicine Highlights Role of Galectin-3 Testing in Combating Hospital Readmissions at the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) 62nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo

WALTHAM, Mass., March 6, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD), a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular tests, today announced that company representatives and independent researchers will highlight the clinical utility of galectin-3 blood testing in assessing the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure through an extensive series of data presentations and company-sponsored events at the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) 62nd Annual Scientific Session & Expo in San Francisco, California.

As part of BG Medicine's presence at the ACC meeting, the company will host an educational symposium chaired by Alan Maisel, MD, Professor of Medicine, UCSD, Director of Coronary Care Unit and Heart Failure Program at the San Diego VA Medical Center, focused on how galectin-3 testing can help hospitals reduce readmissions. Representatives from BG Medicine will also be sponsoring booth N5519 which showcases how galectin-3 can impact the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure through a series of real-life case studies.

Reducing unplanned readmissions for patients continues to be one of the most urgent and pressing issues facing US-based hospitals today, particularly since October 2012, when the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) enacted new rules that impose significant financial penalties on hospitals with excessive 30-day hospital readmission rates. Because heart failure patients with elevated galectin-3 are two-to-three times more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, we believe that identifying these high-risk patients through galectin-3 testing is an efficient, simple and cost-effective tool in a hospital's strategy to reduce unplanned 30-day readmissions, enabling hospitals to better direct their intervention strategies and resources to those who need them most.^{i, ii,iii}

Clinicians and hospital administrators interested in learning more about the unique role of galectin-3 testing as a risk stratification tool in reducing 30-day hospital readmissions can register to attend the BG Medicine dinner symposium From Emergency Department to Discharge: The Role of Biomarkers in Preventing Readmissions at www.galectin-3.com. The program will feature scientific and economic data from nationally-recognized experts from the emergency department, laboratory and administrative settings.

"For patients presenting to the emergency department, the initial triage and diagnosis by a clinician can influence the entire course of their care," said W. Frank Peacock IV, MD, FACEP Professor, Associate Chair & Research Director, Baylor College of Medicine and a featured panelist in the symposium. "Having ready access to a patient's galectin-3 level early in the assessment process may help clinicians make more informed management decisions across the spectrum of heart failure patients. Not only does knowledge of a patient's elevated galectin-3 provide valuable information as to which patients are in greatest need of aggressive management and at the highest risk for readmission, a low galectin-3 also identifies the lowest risk patients who may be appropriate candidates for observation or possibly early discharge."

In addition to the company-sponsored activities highlighting the issue of unplanned readmissions, independent researchers will present a range of findings on the role of galectin-3 testing in patients with chronic heart failure, including the following:  

• Sat, Mar 9, 8:45 - 9:00 AM

903-6 - Coronary Sinus Level of Galectin-3 is a Better Predictor than Peripheral Venous Level of Major Adverse Cardiac Events in Patients with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy

• Sat, Mar 9, 10:00 - 10:45 AM

1136-309/309 - Usefulness of Plasma Galectin-3 in Congestive Heart Failure: Relationships with Echocardiographic Parameters and Survival

• Sun, Mar 10, 3:45 - 4:30 PM

1265-297/297 - Serial Measurement of Galectin-3 Predicts Chronic Heart Failure Outcomes and Ventricular Remodeling: Results from the ProBNP Outpatient Tailored Chronic Heart Failure Therapy (PROTECT) Study

• Sun, Mar 10, 3:45 - 4:30 PM

1265-309/309 - The Incremental Prognostic Power of Novel Biomarkers in Patients with Severe Chronic Heart Failure

• Mon, Mar 11, 9:45 - 10:30 AM

1294-147/147 - Galectin-3 Levels Elevated in Pulmonary Hypertension

The BGM Galectin-3® test is cleared by the FDA as an aid in assessing the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure, in conjunction with clinical evaluation.

About Galectin-3 and Heart Failure

Galectin-3 is a unique carbohydrate-binding lectin, or protein, that binds to carbohydrates called beta-galactosides. Galectin-3 has been implicated in a variety of biological processes important in the development and progression of heart failure, and is believed to be a primary mediator of progressive cardiac fibrosis (abnormal thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle) and adverse remodeling (changes in the structure of the heart). Higher levels of galectin-3 are associated with a more aggressive form of heart failure and 30% or more of mild to moderate heart failure patients will have elevated levels of galectin-3. Heart failure affects an estimated 5.7 million Americans, with approximately 670,000 new cases occurring each year. The direct and indirect cost of heart failure in the United States for 2011 is estimated to be $34.4 billion. ^{iv, v}

About BG Medicine, Inc.

BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD) is a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular tests to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.  The Company has two products: the BGM Galectin-3^® test for use in patients with chronic heart failure is available in the United States and Europe; and the CardioSCORE™ test for the risk prediction of major cardiovascular events is expected to be launched in Europe in the first half of 2013. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit:   www.bg-medicine.com and www.galectin-3.com.

The BG Medicine Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352

Special Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release address our understanding that heart failure patients with elevated galectin-3 are two-to-three times more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge than other heart failure patients; our belief that identifying these high-risk patients through galectin-3 testing is a potentially valuable and cost-effective tool in reducing unplanned readmissions; our belief that identifying patients at greater risk with galectin-3 testing enables hospitals to more efficiently and cost-effectively direct intervention strategies and resources; our belief that increased usage of galectin-3 testing by the healthcare system may improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We urge you to consider those risks and uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

ⁱ de Boer RA, Lok DJ, Jaarsma T, et al. Ann Med. 2011;43(1): 60–8.

ⁱⁱ McCullough PA, Olobatoke A, and Vanhecke TE. Rev Cardiovasc Med. 2011;12(4): 200-10.

ⁱⁱⁱ de Boer RA, van Veldhuisen DJ, deFilippi C, et al. J Card Fail. 2011;17:S93.

^iv  Roger VL, Go AS, Lloyd-Jones DM, Benjamin EJ, Berry JD, Borden WB, et al. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2012 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2012;125(1):e2–220.

^v Heidenriech PA, Trogdon JG, Khavjou OA, Butler J, Dracup K, Ezekowitz MD, et al. Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2011;123(8):933–44.

CONTACT: Chuck Abdalian
         EVP & Chief Financial Officer
         (781) 434-0210