REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 21, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Avinger, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGR), a leading developer of innovative treatments for peripheral artery disease (PAD), announced the Company submitted a new 510(k) application to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its next generation Pantheris® Lumivascular atherectomy system, the first-ever image-guided atherectomy device for the treatment of PAD. The novel design features covered in the filing include a simplified single balloon system for both apposition of the device and occlusion of blood flow, a stiffer shaft for increased pushability, a more robust nose cone with the option for more tissue storage capacity, and an enhanced cutter design. This next generation device is not available for commercial sale in the U.S. at this time.
“We have received invaluable feedback from physician users that our engineering team has incorporated into the design of our next generation of Pantheris,” said Jeff Soinski, Avinger’s President and CEO. “The upgraded features captured in this submission should bring the next level of quality, efficiency and ease of use to the product. We are hopeful that this filing will lead to FDA clearance of the next generation device in the U.S. by early next year, which would allow the product to be commercially available by the end of the first quarter.”
Patrick Muck, M.D., Chief of Vascular Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, commented, “The Pantheris Lumivascular atherectomy system, through its combination of onboard image-guidance and directional plaque removal, has changed my approach to treating peripheral artery disease. As a regular user of the current version of Pantheris, I believe the proposed enhancements represent an important step forward, and I am excited to incorporate the next generation Pantheris into the mainstream of my PAD treatment algorithm.”
Atherectomy is a minimally invasive treatment for PAD in which a catheter-based device is used to remove plaque from a blood vessel. Lumivascular technology allows physicians, for the first time ever, to see from inside the artery during an atherectomy procedure by using an imaging modality called optical coherence tomography, or OCT, that is displayed on Avinger’s proprietary Lightbox console. Physicians performing atherectomy with other devices must rely solely on X-ray as well as tactile feedback to guide their interventions while treating complicated arterial disease. With the Lumivascular approach, physicians can more accurately navigate their devices and treat PAD lesions, thanks to the real-time OCT images generated from inside the artery, without exposing healthcare workers and patients to the negative effects of ionizing radiation.
About Avinger, Inc.
Avinger is a commercial-stage medical device company that designs and develops the first-ever image-guided, catheter-based system that diagnoses and treats patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Avinger is dedicated to radically changing the way vascular disease is treated through its Lumivascular platform, which currently consists of the Lightbox imaging console, the Ocelot family of chronic total occlusion (CTO) catheters, and the Pantheris® family of atherectomy devices. Avinger is based in Redwood City, California. For more information, please visit www.avinger.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements regarding the launch of next generation products and the timeline associated therewith. Such statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, include our dependency on a limited number of products; our ability to demonstrate the benefits of our Lumivascular platform; the resource requirements related to Pantheris; the outcome of clinical trial results; potential exposure to third-party product liability, intellectual property and other litigation; lack of long-term data demonstrating the safety and efficacy of our Lumivascular platform products; reliance on third-party vendors; dependency on physician adoption; reliance on key personnel; and requirements to obtain regulatory approval to commercialize our products; as well as the other risks described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our quarterly Form 10-Q filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 14, 2017. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and should not be unduly relied upon. Avinger disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Public Relations Contact:
Phil Preuss
VP of Marketing & Business Operations
Avinger, Inc.
(650) 241-7900
pr@avinger.com
Investor Contact:
Matt Ferguson
Chief Business Officer & CFO
Avinger, Inc.
(650) 241-7917
ir@avinger.com
