Cardiac Science Inc, a leading US manufacturer of life-saving automated public-access defibrillators (AEDs), announced that its Japanese OEM partner, Nihon Kohden Corporation, Japan's largest medical device manufacturer, placed an order to purchase an additional $3.7 million of Cardiac Science-manufactured private-label AEDs for delivery to end-user customers in Japan. Shipment of the AED order to Nihon Kohden will occur in the third and fourth quarters of this year.

"Sales of our AEDs by Nihon Kohden in the Japanese market are accelerating. In addition to sales to the medical community, a sector Nihon Kohden dominates, current demand is being aided by the recent Japanese Ministry of Health decision that allows AED use by lay citizens and provides that any person who uses an AED will be immune from liability. In addition, the ministry is urging local governments to deploy AEDs at various public facilities and gathering areas," said Cardiac Science chairman and CEO Raymond W Cohen.

Nihon Kohden began selling Cardiac Science's AEDs under Nihon Kohden's tradename in the second quarter of 2002 and to date has sold over 4,500 Cardiac Science-manufactured AEDs to customers in Japan. That organization has approximately 650 sales people in Japan.

According to published market analysis, the potential Japanese AED market is estimated to be as much as 60,000 units per year or 20 percent the size of the combined US and European markets. In September 2003, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, for the first time, endorsed the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by non-medical persons, the release from Cardiac Science said.

Cardiac Science develops, manufactures and markets Powerheart-brand public-access defibrillators (AEDs) and offers comprehensive AED/CPR training and AED programme management services that facilitate successful deployments.