Cardiac Intravascular
Diagnostic Device
Below is the un-edited press release from
PR Newswire and United Business Media. It describes a recent project
Omnica Corporation (www.omnica.com) contributed to for Volcano Therapeutics. Our role was to perform all
research, development, engineering, prototyping, design control and
documentation. We also constructed 10 working devices used for clinical
studies. Development of the catheter was performed elsewhere. The device
is pictured here.
Volcano Therapeutics announces the
issuance of a patent for intravascular thermography used in the detection
of vulnerable plaque.
Volcano Therapeutics Inc
(IMMEDIAPRESS) Brussels, Belgium,
November 27 - Volcano Therapeutics, Inc., an early stage medical
device company, announced today that the U.S. patent office has issued a
new patent covering methods of identifying vulnerable plaque through the
use of intravascular thermography. Volcano Therapeutics is focused on the
discovery, development and commercialisation of products for the detection
and treatment of vulnerable plaques located in the coronary or peripheral
arteries.
The patent (6,475,159) broadly covers methods for the use of intravascular
thermography to detect vulnerable plaque lesions. The issued claims
include:
-- A method of identifying a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque in a living
vessel comprising the steps of: detecting a region along the luminal wall
having a temperature that is higher than that of an adjacent region; and
locating the vulnerable plaque based upon the higher temperature of the
detected region.
-- The method of the previous claim wherein said detecting comprises
measuring the temperature of a plurality of sites along the lumen wall of
said vessel, determining average vessel wall temperature and determining a
temperature elevation in at least one said site of up to 5 degrees C above
said vessel wall temperature.
-- The method of the 1st claim wherein said detecting comprises employing
an intravenous or non-invasive thermography device.
-- A method of identifying a vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque in a living
endarterectomy specimen comprising the steps of: detecting a region of
said specimen having a temperature that is higher than that of an adjacent
region; and locating the vulnerable plaque based upon the higher
temperature of the detected region.
Scott Huennekens, President & CEO of Volcano Therapeutics, noted that
the issuance of this patent expands further the patent protection for
intravascular thermography and represents a significant milestone to
strengthening the company's intellectual property portfolio -- which now
includes 12 issued patents and over 20 patents pending. Mr. Huennekens
commented, ''this patent builds on our extremely strong patent position in
intravascular thermography. We fully intend to enforce our patent rights
in the US and abroad in the months and years ahead.''
About Volcano
Volcano Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held early stage medical device
company with the European office based in Brussels, Belgium and the
headquarters in Laguna Hills, CA. The company was founded in 2001 and
partnered with MedPole earlier this year for all European business
initiatives. Volcano is focused on the discovery, development and
commercialisation of products for the detection and treatment of
vulnerable plaque in the coronary arteries and peripheral vascular system.
Currently under development are technologies that could be potentially
useful in detecting and treating patients who are at risk for developing
plaque rupture and subsequent adverse cardiac events. For more
information, please visit us at http://www.volcanotherapeutics.com
.
Per maggiori informazioni: Contact: EU,
Michel Lussier President & CEO of MedPole, +32 2 627 19 20; or US,
Vince Burgess, Vice President of Marketing of Volcano Therapeutics, Inc.,
+1-949-582-3435
Web site: http://www.volcanotherapeutics.com
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