Published:
LightLab Imaging Leads Global Advancement of Intracoronary Imaging
WESTFORD, Mass., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- LightLab Imaging Inc. today
announced several important developments in the field this past year that are
the culmination of sustained clinical and technology investment by the
company. These advances significantly increase the Company's leadership
position in intravascular optical coherence tomography, or OCT. OCT is a new
high-resolution, high-speed imaging modality that uses advanced photonics for
intravascular imaging and tissue characterization. LightLab is using its
unique portfolio of highly proprietary technology to design, manufacture and
sell intravascular OCT systems that aid interventional cardiologists in the
diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease.
With a ten-fold higher resolution than intravascular ultrasound, OCT is
poised to become the gold standard imaging modality when high resolution
images are essential. As of December 31, 2008, Light Lab has more than 300
M2(TM) and M2x(TM) systems in 20 countries inEurope,Asia, theMiddle East
andSouth America. Per-system catheter utilization increased 45% in 2008 over
2007, and the number of imaging catheters sold in 2008 increased 90% from 2007
levels. The number of clinical OCT procedures using LightLab Imaging OCT
systems has now surpassed 10,000, providing LightLab with unsurpassed
"real-world" experience with OCT.
"From all perspectives, LightLab is recognized as the clear global leader
in intravascular OCT," said David Kolstad, LightLab Imaging's President and
CEO. "During 2008, we continued to execute strategies that will further
extend our leadership position in the year ahead. Among them, we expect to
shortly announce the initiation of patient enrollment in a major clinical
study of our intravascular OCT system here inthe United States. In addition,
in October we became the only reimbursed intravascular OCT imaging product in
the world when we received a favorable reimbursement coverage decision from
the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare that provided OCT payment
at a level above IVUS."
OCT is rapidly becoming indispensable in the evaluation of coronary
stents. This November, OCT was recognized in a special meeting article in the
European Heart Journal in which the European Society of Cardiology and the
European Association for Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions together
with European regulatory bodies recommended OCT as a modality for assessing
stent coverage and neointima formation in clinical studies designed to support
regulatory submissions for new stents inEurope.
Clinical Research Leadership
During 2008, clinicians continued to demonstrate the enhanced value of
LightLab by deploying its M2 and M2x OCT imaging systems in critically
important clinical studies. All OCT images acquired in the groundbreaking
Horizons AMI OCT data study, presented at the 2008 American Heart Association
Congress, were generated using LightLab Imaging OCT systems. At TCT in
October, LightLab Imaging OCT systems were used in 30 clinical presentations
and 18 abstracts, more than 3 times the number of presentations and abstracts
than all other competitors combined. A number of additional important studies
are expected in the coming year, further establishing the important role of
OCT in interventional cardiology.
"We have exciting plans for 2009, in cardiology and other applications. We
continue to build on our proprietary technology platform and leadership
position, with increased levels of investment ensuring that our OCT offerings
remain the products and services of choice by the world's foremost
clinicians," added Mr. Kolstad.
About LightLab Imaging
LightLab Imaging Inc. is the pioneer and leader in the development of
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for vascular and other applications. With
a proprietary platform and catheter technology protected by over 50 patents,
OCT is a high-resolution imaging modality that applies advanced photonics to
medical imaging. With the ability to resolve real-time images to 15
micrometers, the LightLab Imaging OCT Imaging Systems offer physicians more
information, and more precise information, than ever before available.
Contact:
Brad Cilley
Vice President, LightLab Imaging Inc.
978/399-1025
Press:
Steve DiMattia
646/201-5445
SOURCE LightLab Imaging
Copyright © 2009, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze,
Daily News
Tags: ,HEA,MTC,BIO,PDT,MA-LightLab-Imaging