FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * THOMAS PAUL   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol ABIOMED INC [ABMD] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 22 CHERRY HILL DR 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 08/08/2012 (Street) DANVERS, MA 01923 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, $.01 par value 08/08/2012   A   5,333 (4) A $ 0 5,333 D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Option (right to buy) (1)

$ 7.92

01/29/2011(2)

01/29/2020

Common Stock

15,000

15,000

D

Option (right to buy) (1)

$ 18.94

01/29/2014(3)

05/26/2020

Common Stock

10,000

10,000

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
THOMAS PAUL 22 CHERRY HILL DR DANVERS, MA 01923	X

Signatures

/s/ Ian W. McLeod (by power of attorney)		08/10/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Grant to reporting person of this option to buy the number of Common Stock set forth in Table II, Column 7, under the ABIOMED, Inc. 2008 Stock Incentive Plan.
(2)	These options become exerciseable in annual increments: 1/3 on each of January 29, 2011, January 29, 2012 and January 29, 2013.
(3)	These options become exerciseable as following: 50% on the date shown in Table II, Column 6, and 50% on January 29, 2015.
(4)	Represents the grant of a performance share award for restricted stock units pursuant to which one third of the shares will be issued to the reporting person on August 8, 2013, August 8, 2014, and August 8, 2015, so long as he continues to be an active director of the issuer on each of the vesting dates.

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