Asahi Kasei announced that ZOLL®? Medical, an Asahi Kasei company, has launched the next-generation LifeVest®? wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) in the U.S., and completed the U.S. rollout of the most comfortable LifeVest garment ever.
With more than 140,000 patients in peer-reviewed clinical publications and well over one million lives protected, LifeVest is the most used, studied and proven wearable defibrillator. ZOLL is a global leader in medical devices and related software and diagnostic tools used in critical care. As part of its growth strategy, Asahi Kasei positions Critical Care as a First Priority business, targeting operating income of Y=55.0 billion in fiscal 2027.
More clinicians and patients are choosing the LifeVest WCD, supported by a growing body of clinical data demonstrating the need for sudden cardiac death protection in newly diagnosed heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction. Results from the recent SCD-PROTECT study further reinforce the effectiveness of the LifeVest WCD. The next-generation LifeVest garment is preferred by patients for its enhanced comfort and usability.
Built on progressive advancements from prior generations, the garment is designed to support patients in their daily lives outside of the hospital. Enhanced features include lightweight, athleisure-inspired performance fabric, soft plush straps, flat-lock stitching, and the largest range of garment sizes available, accommodating chest measurements from 26" to 56". ZOLL also pioneered the use of artificial intelligence in WCDs, introducing an AI-enhanced algorithm in 2018 that reduced false alarms to a median of zero at 90 days.
The latest generation LifeVest continues to incorporate this AI-enhanced algorithm to support reliable patient protection further. Asahi Kasei's Healthcare sector continues to experience robust unit growth, high recurring revenue from clinical practice standardization, and strong operating margins.
