QUEBEC CITY, Jan. 12, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - Opsens Inc. ("Opsens") (TSXV:OPS) is pleased to announce the first use of its Fractional Flow Reserve ("FFR") products in Europe by the "founding fathers" of FFR, namely Dr. Bernard De Bruyne at the Cardiovascular Center Aalst, Belgium and, shortly, by Professor Nico Pijls, at the Catharina Hospital, Eindhoven the Netherlands. The OptoWire and OptoMonitor are Opsens' products for FFR measurements to optimize the diagnosis and guide the therapy in patients with coronary heart disease.
"The arrival of an optical FFR guidewire such as the OptoWire on the market is positive for interventional cardiologists who need to obtain reliable FFR measurements. It was a pleasure to use the OptoWire in several patients, some of them with complex disease. It allowed me to appreciate its impressive zero drift performance during all cases performed while also acknowledging the constant connection reliability as well as its support during percutaneous coronary intervention", said Dr. Bernard De Bruyne from the Cardiovascular Center Aalst.
"Dr. Pijls and De Bruyne collaborated extensively to establish FFR as the gold standard in the evaluation of coronary lesions. Consequently, we are proud seeing Dr. De Bruyne, one of the most globally recognized cardiologists and an investigator in the FAME clinical studies on FFR, using our products in practice. Opsens already obtained regulatory approvals for Japan and Europe. We are now entering our commercial phase with a controlled launch with several institutions in Europe and Japan." said Louis Laflamme, President and CEO of Opsens.
Opsens aims at becoming a key player in the guidewire FFR market with the OptoWire, a nitinol-based optical guidewire for FFR. The OptoWire provides intra-coronary blood pressure measurements with unique, patented optical pressure guidewire technologies. It is immune to adverse effects related to blood contact, and allows easy and reliable connectivity that leads to reliable FFR measurements in extended conditions of usage. The OptoWire is also designed to provide cardiologists with a guidewire delivering optimized performances to navigate coronary arteries and reach blockages with ease. Based on industry sources, the FFR market represented over US$250 million in sales in 2013 and is expected to reach US$1 billion in the medium-term. Opsens is confident that it is well positioned to capitalize on this significant growth opportunity.