A Medical Device Daily

Cardiovascular Systems (CSI; St. Paul, Minnesota), a developer of interventional treatment systems for vascular disease, has expanded its product portfolio by signing an agreement with Invatec (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania), a provider of interventional products, to market Invatec's PTA balloon catheter line in the U.S.

CSI also is launching the newest addition to its Viper line of supplemental products, the ViperSheath Introducer Sheath.

CSI's flagship product is the Diamondback 360 Orbital Atherectomy System, a minimally invasive catheter system for treating peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Between 8 million and 12 million Americans suffer from PAD, which is caused by the accumulation of plaque in leg or foot arteries, reducing blood flow.

Symptoms include leg pain when walking or at rest, and PAD can lead to tissue loss and eventually limb amputation. The Diamondback 360 is "highly effective in removing plaque and restoring blood flow in vessels both below and above the knee," the company said. In some cases, balloon angioplasty may also be used to achieve the desired vessel diameter after removing plaque with the Diamondback 360.

The CSI and Invatec sales forces will partner in selling the Amphirion Deep 0.014 inch PTA Balloon Catheter line, which is the first dedicated below-the-knee PTA catheter, as well as the Submarine Plus 0.018 inch PTA Balloon Catheter and the Admiral Xtreme 0.035" PTA Balloon Catheter lines.

Invatec will continue to sell its other interventional products, such as its thrombus management cathether, the Diver CE and the FiberNet Embolic Protection System.

CSI will offer the Invatec balloon catheter line, including the SubMarine Plus PTA Balloon Catheter, the Admiral Xtreme PTA Balloon Catheter and the Amphirion Deep PTA Balloon Catheter.

In other dealmaking activity: Encision (Boulder, Colorado) a company owning patented surgical technology for minimally invasive surgery, reported that it has entered into a non-exclusive manufacturing, supply and licensing agreement with Intuitive Surgical (Sunnyvale, California) for the purchase and use of Encision's AEM technology with Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci Surgical Systems.

Encision said its agreement with Intuitive will allow it access beyond conventional laparoscopy to the next generation of minimally invasive surgery.