Merci(R) L5 Retriever From Concentric Medical Receives FDA Clearance For Neurovascular Clot Retrieval In Stroke Patients

Main Category: Stroke / Neuroprotection
Also Included In: Medical Devices;  Neurology / Neuroscience;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 06 Feb 2007 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Concentric Medical announced the FDA clearance and commercial release of the Merci(R) L5 Retrieval System in the United States. Concentric Medical is presently the only company offering devices cleared by FDA for clot removal in ischemic stroke patients. The Merci L5 Retrieval System offers another option for patients, especially those who have "failed" intravenous clot dissolving drug therapy or who could not be treated within the three hour limit.

The Merci L5 Retrieval System is the newest design, incorporating a cylindrical helix with attached filaments. The filaments provide an additional mechanism for securing the clot during retrieval. This device was investigated as part of the Multi MERCI trial, a major multi-center, prospective trial conducted in the United States and Canada. Results will be reported at the International Stroke Conference on February 9th, 2007, by Wade Smith, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator and Professor of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco.

"The clearance of the Merci L5 Retriever in the United States is further evidence of Concentric Medical's leadership in developing new options for stroke patients," said Gary Curtis, President and CEO of Concentric Medical. "This next-generation Merci Retrieval System provides another example of Concentric Medical's continuous innovation and dedication to putting stroke in reverse."

The Merci Retriever is a "corkscrew-type" device that is delivered into the brain using standard catheterization techniques. A small puncture in the groin is used to introduce the Merci Retriever into an artery leading to the brain. Upon reaching the targeted area, the Merci Retriever is designed to restore blood flow by engaging, capturing and removing the blood clot.

Stroke Facts

Stroke is the number one leading cause of disability and is the third leading cause of death worldwide. It is estimated that there are 750,000 strokes in the United States each year, of which 85 percent are ischemic. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a blood clot, which can impair brain function and cause severe disability or death.

About Concentric Medical

Located in Mountain View, California, and founded in 1999, Concentric Medical is dedicated to "Putting STROKE in Reverse". The company manufacturers and markets the Merci Retrieval Systems, the only interventional devices cleared by the FDA for clot retrieval in acute ischemic stroke. Concentric Medical has a full pipeline of new products to continue to advance the treatment options for ischemic stroke patients. The Merci Retrieval System is available in over 225 centers in North America and in leading stroke centers around the world. Concentric Medical estimates that over 4,500 patients have been treated with the device. More information about Concentric Medical and its products can be found at http://www.concentric-medical.com.

Concentric Medical
http://www.concentric-medical.com