Oct 18 2007
Prescient Medical, Inc., a privately held medical device company dedicated to reducing deaths from heart attacks, has unveiled a unique, new catheter-based diagnostic tool, the vPredict(TM) Optical Catheter System, and a new treatment, the vProtect(TM) Luminal Shield, for use in the cardiac catheterization lab. These new devices are designed to address many of the shortcomings of existing technology and provide interventional cardiologists the ability to tailor therapy according to the individual needs of each patient.
vPredict Optical Catheter System Reveals Composition of Coronary Plaques
Currently available diagnostic imaging techniques reveal gross structural features, like the degree of stenosis (blockage) of a coronary plaque, but little else. The vPredict Optical Catheter System is a unique Raman- spectroscopy-based catheter designed to provide detailed chemical analysis of plaque composition. Raman spectroscopy is a well-established analytical method of identifying and quantifying the chemical make-up of materials with a high degree of precision. The vPredict Optical Catheter System will provide instantaneous assessment of an arterial wall during procedures called Optiography(TM) Scans.
"Our goal is to develop a reliable way to analyze the composition of a plaque, and establish links between chemical composition and the clinical course of that plaque, so that interventional cardiologists can provide the optimal therapy for any given situation", said Patricia K. Scheller, Chief Executive Officer of Prescient Medical, Inc.
With the exquisite sensitivity and specificity of Raman spectroscopy, the vPredict Optical Catheter System is capable of differentiating between a large number of tissue components. The first generation system can identify cholesterol, cholesterol esters, triglycerides, proteins, and blood. Future generations are expected to detect numerous other components that should enhance our understanding of the natural course of atherosclerotic disease.
vProtect Luminal Shield
Currently available stents are designed to open stenotic (partially or completely blocked) vessels after balloon angioplasty, but the innate qualities of these stents can lead to complications, including restenosis, neointimal hyperplasia, and, in the case of some drug-eluting stents, a potentially fatal complication known as late stent thrombosis. The vProtect Luminal Shield has been designed to overcome these limitations in specific indications, and extend the use of catheter-based interventions to plaques that do not block the vessel or limit blood flow. These asymptomatic plaques are commonly referred to as vulnerable plaques.
"Our objective in designing the vProtect Luminal Shield was to reduce vessel injury during implantation and, by incorporating nanotechnology on the surface of the shield, trigger the formation of a healthy new arterial lining," according to Ms. Scheller.
"In addition, this device is designed to securely conform to the arterial wall and shield the coronary circulation from plaque rupture," she continued. "The vProtect Luminal Shield represents an important departure from the old paradigm of strictly mechanical therapy for coronary artery disease."
Clinical evaluation of the vProtect Luminal Shield and the vPredict Optical Catheter System will begin in early 2008.