Hadasit’s Double Lumen PCI Guiding Catheter Prototype Demonstrates to be the First Guiding
Catheter to Successfully Enable Administration of Medicine Directly to the Coronary Artery
Throughout the Course of a PCI.
Ein Kerem, Israel, September 3, 2008 --- Hadasit, the technology transfer company of Hadassah
Medical Organization, announced today the successful pre-clinical testing of a prototype of the
Double Lumen PCI Guiding Catheter for use in the treatment of coronary artery disease. Unlike
today’s conventional catheters, the Double Lumen PCI Guiding Catheter has two lumens rather
than one. The second lumen allows for a continuous medication infusion to the coronary artery
during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the part of the procedure when the narrowed
coronary artery is dilated.
“An animal study was conducted to determine the proof of concept of these
medical devices. It was
successful,” said David Rott, M.D., FACC, Cardiologist at Hadassah Hospital.
As reported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, coronary artery disease is the
leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. Each year, more than five
hundred thousand Americans die from CAD.
“There are currently only two options by which to give necessary medications, such as anti
platelets or anti coagulants, to a patient during a coronary artery procedure. The first is by IV;
the second is by interrupting the procedure and giving injections through a conventional one
lumen catheter. With the introduction of the Double Lumen PCI Guiding Catheter, medications
can now be delivered directly to the coronary artery without interrupting the procedure and
without needing to wait for it to arrive through the blood stream from the IV. This may improve
the results of and decrease the dose of medications administered, as necessary drugs may now
be dispensed straight to the target area,” said Dr. Rott.
“The potential impact of this device is far reaching. The Double Lumen PCI Guiding Catheter has
potential to change existing coronary artery PCI protocol for the better and to positively affect
millions of patients worldwide. The next step is to build a prototype for use in a proof of
concept study in man. Hadasit is currently seeking partners to help finance this initiative,” said
Dr. Rafi Hofstein, President and CEO of Hadasit.
