CryoCath and ATS in Global Alliance

U.S. co-promotion rights to market surgical cryotherapy products for the ablation of cardiac arrhythmias as well as exclusive distribution rights for the rest of the world have been granted by CryoCath Technologies (Montreal, Canada) to ATS Medical, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN, USA).

The transaction allows CryoCath to continue its quest to become a dominant force in the atrial fibrillation (AF) market. The company is a leading global supplier of cryotherapy solutions. Use of cryotherapy to treat cardiac arrhythmias during cardiac surgery involves the use of extremely cold temperatures to treat targeted tissue while leaving underlying connective tissue largely unaffected. CryoCath notes that in procedures near critical structures of the heart where safety is vital, freezing preserves tissue integrity and minimizes the risk of endocardial thrombus associated with heat-based energy sources.

AF has become the most common complication of cardiovascular surgery. Using cryotherapy for ablating tissue responsible for arrhythmias removes heat from target tissue, slowing cellular activity as it cools. The well-demarcated lesions heal quickly. Cryotherapy can be used with all incision types in conjunction with any surgical procedure and can be used in a beating heart or an arrested heart.

"It is the only approach that can create the complete set of lesions required to emulate the Cox III Maze procedure, the gold-standard surgical treatment to stop AF,” commented Michael D. Dale, president and CEO of ATS Medical. "We are very excited to now have the ability to sell a superior ablation technology alongside our outstanding mechanical heart valve.”




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