ANDOVER, Mass. & BURLINGTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mar 7, 2013–Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) and Infraredx, Inc., a medical device company committed to advancing the diagnosis and management of coronary artery and other vascular diseases, today announced the availability of a new solution that enables seamless access to Infraredx’s true vessel characterization (TVC) Imaging System via Philips’ Allura Xper catheterization (cath) lab imaging systems. The product offering ensures compatibility between the two systems and allows clinicians to quickly and easily connect the TVC Imaging System to the Allura Xper system when intravascular imaging is required as part of cardiac catheterization procedures.
The new solution is the result of a joint product development agreement announced by Infraredx and Philips in October 2012 that aims to improve the integrated functioning of the cath lab with the TVC Imaging System’s near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) technologies. The software application will be demonstrated at the upcoming American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2013 annual meeting at the Philips booth (#S1009).
With the new solution, clinicians can now operate the TVC Imaging System at the X-ray table and view the TVC Composite Image, which shows both NIRS and IVUS images, alongside the coronary angiogram on the Philips cath lab monitors. This allows for better visualization of lipid core-containing plaques (LCPs) in a patient’s coronary arteries. LCP is believed to be “vulnerable plaque” that can rupture and form dangerous blood clots leading to coronary heart attacks, and is widely considered to be responsible for a significant number of stenting procedure complications.
“We are pleased to introduce this new integrated solution for the interventional cardiology community, which enables tableside control of the TVC Imaging System from within the sterile cath lab environment using the Allura Xper system,” said Don Southard, president and chief executive officer of Infraredx. “By providing clinicians with more control over the procedure and accelerated information retrieval, this solution will improve our customers’ clinical workflow and productivity. We look forward to continuing to partner with Philips to develop additional integrated intravascular imaging solutions for customers who desire optimal percutaneous coronary intervention results.” “The availability of this new software application, which is now available to any Philips customer using the latest generation Allura Xper systems, points to our ongoing commitment to offer the most advanced, state-of-the-art cath lab integration solutions that improve efficiency and patient care,” said Ronald Tabaksblat, senior vice president and general manager, interventional x-ray, Philips Healthcare.
About Infraredx, Inc. Infraredx, Inc. is a privately-funded medical device company dedicated to helping provide practitioners with the information needed for enhanced clinical decision making in treating coronary artery disease. The company is committed to improving the safety and efficacy of coronary stenting and ultimately serving as part of a strategy to prevent initial coronary events. Through its TVC Imaging System™, Infraredx is changing the way coronary artery disease is diagnosed and treated. The TVC Imaging System is the only intravascular imaging system that enables true vessel characterization through simultaneous structural and compositional imaging data obtained in a single pullback. Through the use of both intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technologies, the system helps interventional cardiologists identify which patients are prone to stenting complications by assessing not only the degree of stenosis, but also the presence of lipid core plaque. Founded in 1998, Infraredx is headquartered in Burlington, Mass. For more information, visit www.infraredx.com.
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2012 sales of EUR 24.8 billion and employs approximately 118,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming, home and portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
