CGuard Embolic Prevention System (EPS) developer InspireMD has established its first two Centers of Excellence (COE) at two hospitals in Europe.

The first COE is at the Augusta Hospital Clinic for Vascular Surgery in Düsseldorf, Germany and is led by Prof. Ralf Kolvenbach, Head of the Cardiovascular Diseases Department and Medical Director of the Catholic Hospitals. Prof. Kolvenbach is one of the leading vascular surgeons in Germany and treats a significant number of patients suffering from carotid artery disease.

The second COE is at the Maria Cecilia Hospital, in Cotignola, Italy and is led by Dr. Alberto Cremonesi, Chief of the Cardiovascular Department and a leading interventional cardiologist in Italy, also treating a large number of patients suffering from carotid artery disease.

The Augusta Hospital Clinic for Vascular Surgery and Maria Cecilia Hospital recently held their first workshop, which covered the indications and strategies for the use of CGuard EPS.  This included lectures and proctoring of live cases to illustrate the advantages of the minimally invasive carotid artery revascularization procedures using CGuard™ EPS versus endarterectomy, which is the more commonly utilized surgical approach.

InspireMD CEO James Barry said: “We are privileged to have established these first two CGuard EPS Centers of Excellence at two of the leading hospitals in Germany and Italy, which are key markets for CGuard.

“COEs are a key element in our broader strategy to educate and convert vascular surgeons and interventionalists away from the more invasive surgical carotid endarterectomy procedure and towards CGuard EPS in the treatment of patients with carotid artery disease given the sustained safety and embolic and stroke prevention benefits clinically seen with the CGuard EPS.  Converting physicians away from treating carotid artery disease with surgery will result in a significant increase in the addressable market for our product, which we believe is a billion-dollar product category in carotid artery procedures alone.

“The goal of these COEs is to train, educate and share experiences among both surgeons and interventionalists to incorporate CGuard EPS into their daily practice as the system of choice for carotid revascularization and stroke prevention.  We look forward to announcing additional COEs as we continue to execute on our strategy.”

InspireMD executive vice president and chief commercial officer Agustin Gago said: “The initial workshops held at both the Augusta Hospital Clinic for Vascular Surgery and at the Maria Cecilia Hospital were well attended and illustrate the growing interest among vascular surgeons as well as interventionalists in CGuard EPS, which utilizes our patented MicroNet technology.”

Source: Company Press Release