8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                          Date of Report: May 25, 2006
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Date of earliest event reported)


                                  ABIOMED, Inc.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Delaware                                               04-2743260
(State or other Jurisdiction                                   (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)                                   Identification Number)

                                     0-20584
                            (Commission File Number)

                              22 Cherry Hill Drive
                                Danvers, MA 01923
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

                                 (978) 777-5410
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)



Item 8.01       Other Events

     Attached and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit 99.01 is a copy of
a press release of ABIOMED, Inc. dated May 25, 2006, announcing the Company's
receipt of FDA approval to commence its pilot clinical trial immediately in the
United States for the IMPELLA(R) 2.5 minimally invasive ventricular assist
device (VAD). The approval is conditioned upon the Company's submission of
additional information to the FDA over the next 45 days. The indication for use
is support during "high-risk" angioplasty for up to five days as a left
ventricular assist device.


Item 9.01       Financial Statements and Exhibits

       (c) Exhibits

           99.01        Press release dated May 25, 2006










                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                             ABIOMED, Inc.



                                             By:    /s/ Daniel J. Sutherby
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                    Daniel J. Sutherby
                                                    Principal Financial Officer



Date: May 25, 2006




                                  Exhibit Index



Exhibit Number          Description

    99.01               Press release dated May 25, 2006

EX-99.01

                                                                   Exhibit 99.01


        ABIOMED Receives FDA Approval to Commence IMPELLA 2.5 U.S. Trial;
           Indication for Use is Support During High-Risk Angioplasty


     DANVERS, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2006--ABIOMED, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABMD)
today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted
approval for the Company to commence its pilot clinical trial immediately in the
United States for the IMPELLA(R) 2.5 minimally invasive ventricular assist
device (VAD). The approval is conditioned upon the Company's submission of
additional information to the FDA over the next 45 days. The indication for use
is support during "high-risk" angioplasty for up to five days as a left
ventricular assist device. Angioplasty, performed in the catheterization lab, is
the insertion of a catheter-guided balloon and is used to open a narrowed
coronary artery. A stent (a wire-mesh tube that expands to hold the artery open)
is usually placed at the narrowed section. High-risk angioplasty is defined as
patients undergoing angioplasty on an unprotected left main coronary artery
lesion, or the last patent coronary conduit, and poor cardiac function.
     "We are very excited to receive this approval to begin the trial for our
breakthrough IMPELLA 2.5 product. We believe IMPELLA will change the standard of
care in the cath lab," stated Michael R. Minogue, Chairman, President and CEO of
ABIOMED. "Our results in Europe for high-risk patients have been outstanding. We
estimate that approximately 5%-10% of the one million U.S. angioplasty patients
could benefit in the future from IMPELLA technologies."
     "The IMPELLA 2.5 is a highly advanced, minimally invasive VAD that can be
utilized in the cath lab to provide patients support during a procedure," stated
William O'Neill, Corporate Director of Cardiology, William Beaumont Hospital
System. "We hope to demonstrate that the IMPELLA system, with its unique
capability to unload the left ventricle and enhance flow to the body, will
improve the safety of complex, high-risk angioplasty procedures."
     The Company intends to conduct the pilot investigation on the IMPELLA 2.5
with no more than seven hospitals and 20 patients. Based on the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) category B2 status, the hospitals could be eligible
for full reimbursement during the trial. ABIOMED will conduct a conference call
in the future to outline the details of the trial.

     ABOUT ABIOMED

     Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, ABIOMED, Inc. is a leading developer,
manufacturer and marketer of medical products designed to assist or replace the
pumping function of the failing heart. ABIOMED currently manufactures and sells
the AB5000(TM) Circulatory Support System and the BVS(R) 5000 Biventricular
Support System for the temporary support of all patients with failing but
potentially recoverable hearts. In Europe, ABIOMED offers the IMPELLA(R)
RECOVER(R) minimally invasive cardiovascular support systems under CE Mark
approval. The IMPELLA(R) 2.5 is an investigational device limited by Federal Law
solely to investigational use in the United States. Other IMPELLA devices are
not yet available for sale in the United States. The Company's AbioCor(R)
Implantable Replacement Heart was the subject of an initial clinical trial under
an Investigational Device Exemption from the United States Food and Drug
Administration. The AbioCor has not been approved for commercial distribution,
and is not available for use or sale outside of the initial clinical trial. For
additional information please visit: www.abiomed.com.

     FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     This Release contains forward-looking statements, including statements
regarding development of ABIOMED's existing and new products, the Company's
progress toward commercial growth, and future opportunities. The Company's
actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these
forward-looking statements based upon a number of factors, including
uncertainties associated with development, testing and related regulatory
approvals, anticipated future losses, complex manufacturing, high quality
requirements, dependence on limited sources of supply, competition,
technological change, government regulation, future capital needs and
uncertainty of additional financing and other risks and challenges detailed in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Annual Report filed on Form 10-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of
this Release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the
results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to
reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date of this Release or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.


    CONTACT: ABIOMED, INC.
             Daniel Sutherby, 978-646-1812
             Chief Financial Officer
             ir@abiomed.com
             or
             ABIOMED, INC.
             Liza Heapes, 978-646-1668
             Media Relations
             mediarelations@abiomed.com