Sanford Health and Freudenberg Medical partner on infusion systems

Sanford Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Freudenberg Medical (Carpinteria, Calif.) announced that they have entered a joint research and development agreement to develop infusion systems to treat blood clots and blockages in blood vessels.

A catheter used in the infusion systems was designed by vascular surgeon Dr. Patrick Kelly at Sanford Health Innovations, a part of Sanford Health. It infuses medication to exact locations in an artery or vein to restore blood flow.

“There has to be a better, more efficient, less expensive way to treat blood clots and blockages,” Kelly said. “We’re trying to find it.”

The joint research and development agreement will allow Freudenberg Medical to determine the commercial potential of the device. After the catheter is developed, it will have to go through early pre-clinical testing and the pursuit of FDA 510(k) clearance to legally market the device in the U.S.

“I look at the issues my patients have and the available treatments, and our team is always trying to find a way to improve those treatment. Combining medicine with engineering and a real desire to keep people independent and ambulatory is what drives me every day,” Kelly said. “I look forward to working with Freudenberg Medical to make this idea come to life.”

Freudenberg Medical currently specializes in the design, development and manufacture of medical devices and suggests that its minimally invasive solutions engineering group is “well-suited” to evaluate Kelly’s catheter concept.

“As a partner for innovation, we are committed to proactively addressing unmet clinical needs and offering our medical device customers a growing portfolio of finished device, design and process solutions that improve efficiency and accelerate their time to market,” Bernie Kaeferlein, director of portfolio management at Freudenberg Medical, said. “Collaborating with Dr. Kelly and Sanford Health establishes a strong working relationship for developing much needed new products that improve treatment options and reduce cost of care.”

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