OpSens Receives Significant Support to Develop the Next Generation of its Interventional Cardiology Products
Return to news
OpSens Receives Significant Support to Develop
the Next Generation of its Interventional Cardiology Products
Quebec City, Quebec – May 2022, OpSens, a medical device cardiology-focused company delivering innovative solutions based on its proprietary optical technology is pleased to announce that it is receiving advisory services and up to $1.5 million in funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) over two years to support a research and development project to develop the next generation of OpSens’ interventional cardiology products.
“OpSens is constantly innovating to deliver high-performance solutions in cardiology. In addition to developing the next generation of its guidewires, OpSens’ R&D team is now working to combine artificial intelligence (“AI”), medical imaging and invasive pressure measurement to offer cardiologists unparalleled diagnostic and treatment aids. These solutions will provide faster, more accurate measurements for patients with coronary artery disease,” said Philippe Gagnon, R&D Director, New Product Development, at OpSens. “We want to equip ourselves with state-of-the-art software tools to increase the efficiency of our instrumented guidewires and pressure sensors,” concluded Philippe Gagnon.
This funding and expertise will open the door to hiring of high-tech personnel at OpSens’ Quebec City facility. The Company will add experts in artificial intelligence and data analysis to its team. They will join those who developed the invasive pressure measurement technology of its flagship product, the OptoWire, which has been used in over 150,000 procedures in more than 2,500 catheterization laboratories (cathlabs) equipped with its OptoMonitor worldwide.
OpSens recognized worldwide for the quality of its guidewires used in cardiology
The heart is a muscle that continuously pumps blood to the rest of the body. The coronary arteries supply the heart with the oxygen and the nutrients it needs to function efficiently. Over time, fatty deposits, called plaque, can build up inside the arteries, blocking the passage and reducing blood flow. When such lesions develop in the coronary arteries, blood flow to the heart can be compromised.
Angiography can be compared to an X-ray of the heart. OpSens’ guidewire, the OptoWire, is used to detect these blockages. It is instrumented with OpSens’ second-generation optical sensor, which offers one of the most accurate and reliable measurements of blood pressure in the coronary arteries. During percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), which are performed through a small incision in the upper thigh, the OptoWire is used as an aid in the diagnosis and treatment of lesions and, with this single guidewire, to deliver the prosthesis or stent which will clear the blockage and even to validate restoration of circulation.
Innovation to support the next generation of OptoWire
This support from NRC IRAP will help develop software that offers the best of both worlds: the combination of angiography and pressure measurement using OpSens’ guidewire. The result will give cardiologists more than just a better diagnostic and decision-making tool over angiography or pressure measurement alone. It will be a truly scalable solution, more complete and better integrated with catheterization labs around the world.
In addition to this advancement, the OptoMonitor will include a new information storage architecture to take advantage of PCI data. By applying artificial intelligence techniques, we will evolve our diagnostic and decision-making software tools while protecting patients’ data.
About OpSens Inc. (www.OpSens.com or www.OpSensmedical.com)
OpSens focuses mainly in interventional cardiology. The Company offers an advanced optical-based pressure guidewire that aims at improving the clinical outcome of patients with coronary artery disease. Its flagship product, the OptoWire, is a second-generation fiber optic pressure guidewire designed to provide the lowest drift in the industry and excellent lesions access. The OptoWire has been used in the diagnosis and treatment of over 150,000 patients in more than 30 countries. It is approved for sale in the United States, European Union, Japan, and Canada. OpSens is also involved in industrial activities in developing, manufacturing, and installing innovative fiber optic sensing solutions for critical applications.
For further information, please contact:
Philippe Gagnon, R&D Director, New Product Development