TransMedics and Mercedes-Benz Announce Strategic Collaboration to Launch First Dedicated Organ Transplantation Ground Transportation Network in Italy

Rhea-AI Summary

TransMedics (NASDAQ: TMDX) has announced a strategic collaboration with Mercedes-Benz to establish Italy's first dedicated organ transplantation ground transportation network. The initiative will deploy specially equipped Mercedes-Benz V-Class vehicles across four National OCS Program (NOP) hubs in Milan, Rome, Padua, and Bari.

The network will support TransMedics' Organ Care System (OCS) perfusion technology and will be operational by the end of 2025. Each hub will be equipped with OCS Lung, Heart, and Liver Systems and staffed with clinical perfusionists, providing 24/7 support to transplant centers. The Italian National Command Center will be based in Santa Giulia, Milan.

This collaboration marks TransMedics' first step in replicating its successful U.S. NOP model in Europe, potentially laying the groundwork for a broader European transplant logistics network.

Positive

• First-of-its-kind dedicated organ transportation network in Italy
• Strategic expansion of successful U.S. NOP model into European market
• 24/7 technological, clinical, and logistical support across four major Italian hubs
• Potential foundation for broader European transplant logistics network

Negative

• None.

Insights

Medical Technology Analyst

TransMedics' expansion into Italy with Mercedes-Benz partnership establishes European foothold for their organ transplant logistics network, potentially accelerating international revenue growth.

TransMedics is strategically expanding its National Organ Care System Program (NOP) beyond the US into Europe, beginning with Italy. This four-hub network in Milan, Rome, Padua, and Bari represents the company's first major international replication of its successful US model that combines specialized logistics with their organ perfusion technology.

The partnership with Mercedes-Benz provides TransMedics with purpose-built V-Class vehicles specifically equipped for organ transportation. This addresses a critical infrastructure gap in transplantation - the need for specialized, reliable transportation designed specifically for organ movement with proper equipment support.

What makes this particularly significant is the integrated approach. Rather than simply selling organ perfusion devices to Italian hospitals, TransMedics is implementing its complete ecosystem model, providing the technology, clinical perfusionists, and now specialized transportation. This vertically-integrated solution has been key to TransMedics' rapid US growth by removing implementation barriers for transplant centers.

The Italy expansion serves as a proof-of-concept for broader European market entry. By establishing a National Command Center in Milan, TransMedics creates a regional hub that could potentially support expansion into neighboring countries. The timing before year-end 2025 suggests confidence in navigating European regulatory frameworks and healthcare systems.

For transplant medicine, this model addresses the persistent challenge of organ utilization rates. The OCS technology allows organs to remain viable longer and enables assessment of borderline organs, while dedicated transportation reduces logistical complications and time constraints that currently limit transplantation.

Modern, purpose-built Mercedez-Benz V-Class fleet to be deployed across four National OCS Program ("NOP") hubs in Italy to support utilization of TransMedics' Organ Care System ("OCS") perfusion technology and increase donor organ utilization for patients in need

TransMedics President and Chief Executive Officer, Waleed Hassanein, M.D., to discuss strategic collaboration at upcoming Italian Society for Organ and Tissue Transplantation ("SITO") in Milan

ANDOVER, Mass., Sept. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TransMedics Group, Inc. ("TransMedics") (Nasdaq: TMDX), a medical technology company that is transforming organ transplant therapy for patients with end-stage lung, heart, and liver failure, today announced a strategic collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Group AG to deploy a first-of-its-kind fleet of modern, purpose-built Mercedes-Benz V-class vehicles dedicated exclusively to organ transportation across Italy.

The strategic collaboration supports TransMedics' broader commercial strategy to replicate its successful U.S. NOP™ in Europe by building a dedicated air and ground logistics network that complements the innovative TransMedics OCS™ perfusion platform and clinical services. The upcoming launch could lay the foundation for a broader, multi-country European transplant dedicated logistics network designed to expand access to donor organs and help more patients in need of transplantation.

As part of the collaboration, TransMedics will deploy and staff several dedicated Mercedes-Benz V-Class vehicles across four major Italian NOP hubs in Milan, Rome, Padua, and Bari. The vans are equipped with advanced safety specifications which meet stringent handling requirements of transplant logistics and provide a secure environment for the organs, physicians, and equipment during mission transport.

The initial Italian NOP hubs are expected to launch before the end of 2025. Each hub will be equipped with OCS Lung, Heart, and Liver Systems and staffed by an experienced team of clinical perfusionists. TransMedics aims to provide 24/7 technological, clinical, and logistical support to transplant centers, procurement organizations, and surgical teams to increase donor organ utilization for transplants across Italy. The Italian National Command Center will operate from TransMedics' NOP hub in Santa Giulia, Milan.

"This collaboration between TransMedics and Mercedes-Benz underscores our shared focus on delivering the highest-quality technology and services to save lives," said Waleed Hassanein, M.D., President, and Chief Executive Officer of TransMedics. "Our NOP initiative in Italy is a crucial first step towards expanding global access to our life-saving OCS technology to patients in need."

Dario Albano, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Vans Italia added, "We are proud to support TransMedics with our first-class vehicles engineered for professional, mission-critical operations. Together we aim to raise the bar for medical transport, enabling clinical teams to focus on what matters most—saving lives."

Media Availability
TransMedics management, including Waleed Hassanein, M.D., President, and Chief Executive Officer of TransMedics, will be available for interviews and briefings during the SITO Congress in Milan. To arrange an interview, please reach out to the media contacts listed at the end of the release.

About the OCS
TransMedics OCS is a portable organ perfusion, optimization and monitoring system that utilizes our proprietary and customized technology to replicate near-physiologic conditions for donor organs outside of the human body. The OCS platform is designed to perfuse donor organs with warm, oxygenated, nutrient-enriched blood, while maintaining the organs in a living, functioning state. It is the only FDA approved, portable, multi-organ, warm perfusion technology platform. The OCS Lung, Heart, and Liver Systems are CE Marked.

About the NOP
TransMedics NOP is an innovative turnkey solution that provides an end-to-end service offering delivering organs on-demand directly to transplant centers leveraging the proprietary OCS technology, trained organ procurement surgeons and clinical specialists, and specially designed and dedicated air and ground transport logistics network.

About TransMedics Group, Inc.
TransMedics is the world's leader in portable extracorporeal warm perfusion and assessment of donor organs for transplantation. Headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, the company was founded to address the unmet need for more and better organs for transplantation and has developed technologies to preserve organ quality, assess organ viability prior to transplant, and potentially increase the utilization of donor organs for the treatment of end-stage heart, lung, and liver failure.

About Mercedes-Benz Group AG
Mercedes-Benz Group AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With Mercedes-Benz AG, the Group is one of the leading global suppliers of high-end passenger cars and premium vans. Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG specialises in financial and mobility services. The company's focus remains on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior vehicles that both captivate and inspire. Mercedes-Benz continues to invest systematically in the development of efficient powertrains and sets the course for an all-electric future. Mercedes-Benz is consistently implementing its strategy to transform itself toward a fully electric and software-driven future. Mercedes-Benz sells its vehicles and services in nearly every country of the world and has production facilities in Europe, North and Latin America, Asia and Africa.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements address various matters, including, among other things, future results and events, including our strategic collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and the plans and timing of deploying our fleet of modern, purpose-built Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Italy; our strategy of replicating our U.S. NOP in Italy and other countries in Europe; and expectations that our NOP can expand access to donor organs and increase donor organ utilization in Italy and other countries in Europe For this purpose, all statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "should," "could," "target," "predict," "seek" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Our management cannot predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in or implied by any forward-looking statements we may make. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the fluctuation of our financial results from quarter to quarter; our ability to attract, train, and retain key personnel; our existing and any future indebtedness, including our ability to comply with affirmative and negative covenants under our credit agreements to which we will remain subject until maturity; our ability to sustain profitability; our need to raise additional funding and our ability to obtain it on favorable terms, or at all; our ability to use net operating losses and research and development credit carryforwards; that we have identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, and that we may identify additional material weaknesses in the future; our dependence on the success of the OCS; our ability to expand access to the OCS through our NOP; our ability to improve the OCS platform, including by developing the next generation of the OCS products or expanding into new indications; our ability to scale our manufacturing and sterilization capabilities to meet increasing demand for our products; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the OCS; our ability to educate patients, surgeons, transplant centers and private and public payors of benefits offered by the OCS; our dependence on a limited number of customers for a significant portion of our revenue; our ability to maintain regulatory approvals or clearances for our OCS products in the United States, the European Union, and other select jurisdictions worldwide; our ability to adequately respond to Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), or other competent authorities, follow-up inquiries in a timely manner; the impact of healthcare policy changes, including recently enacted or potential future legislation reforming the U.S. healthcare system or the FDA; the performance of our third-party suppliers and manufacturers; our use of third parties to transport donor organs and medical personnel for our NOP and our ability to maintain and grow our logistics capabilities to support our NOP to reduce dependence on third party transportation, including by means of attracting, training and retaining pilots, and the acquisition, maintenance or replacement of fixed-wing aircraft for our aviation transportation services or other acquisitions, joint ventures or strategic investments; our ability to maintain Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") or other regulatory licenses or approvals for our aircraft transportation services; price increases of the components of our products and maintenance, parts and fuel for our aircraft; the timing or results of post-approval studies and any clinical trials for the OCS; our manufacturing, sales, marketing and clinical support capabilities and strategy; attacks against our information technology infrastructure; the economic, political and other risks associated with our foreign operations; our ability to protect, defend, maintain and enforce our intellectual property rights relating to the OCS and avoid allegations that our products or services infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of third parties; the pricing of the OCS, as well as the reimbursement coverage for the OCS in the United States and internationally; regulatory developments in the United States, European Union and other jurisdictions; the extent and success of competing products or procedures that are or may become available; our ability to service our 1.50% convertible senior notes, due 2028; the impact of any product recalls or improper use of our products; our estimates regarding revenues, expenses and needs for additional financing; and other factors that may be described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Additional information will be made available in our annual and quarterly reports and other filings that we make with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and we are not able to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

Media Contacts:
TransMedics Europe
Susanne Montag
+49 15112645800
smontag@transmedics.com

Mercedes-Benz Vans Italia
Vadim Odinzoff
vadim.odinzoff@mercedes-benz.com
+39 3316742881

Luca Amarisse
luca.amarisse@mercedes-benz.com
+39 3392754899

Investor Contact:
Brian Johnston
Laine Morgan
332-895-3222
Investors@transmedics.com

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SOURCE TransMedics Group, Inc.

FAQ

What is the strategic collaboration between TransMedics (TMDX) and Mercedes-Benz?

TransMedics and Mercedes-Benz are collaborating to deploy a fleet of specially equipped Mercedes-Benz V-Class vehicles for organ transportation across Italy, creating the country's first dedicated organ transplantation ground transportation network.

Where will TransMedics (TMDX) establish its NOP hubs in Italy?

TransMedics will establish NOP hubs in four major Italian cities: Milan, Rome, Padua, and Bari, with the National Command Center located in Santa Giulia, Milan.

When will TransMedics (TMDX) launch its Italian organ transportation network?

The initial Italian NOP hubs are expected to launch before the end of 2025.

What technology will be available at TransMedics' Italian NOP hubs?

Each hub will be equipped with OCS Lung, Heart, and Liver Systems and staffed by experienced clinical perfusionists, providing 24/7 technological, clinical, and logistical support.

How does this expansion fit into TransMedics' broader strategy?

This collaboration is part of TransMedics' strategy to replicate its successful U.S. NOP model in Europe, potentially expanding into a broader, multi-country European transplant logistics network.