NGC signs exclusive distribution deal for Allium stents in Italy
27 March 2008
Allium Medical Group, developer and manufacturer of non-vascular
stents, has signed an exclusive distribution deal with Italian medical
device distributor NGC Medical SpA for both its ureteral and biliary
stents. The value of the deal was not disclosed.
Allium Medical will be exhibiting four new products based on its
revolutionary stenting platform at the EAU European Association of
Urology World Congress in Milan, Italy, this week (March 26-28) —
ureteral; prostatic; bulbar urethral; and a bladder-neck stent.
Founded in 2001, Allium develops site-specific stents for various
uses with applications in the urinary and gastro-intestinal tract. Based
in the Milan area, NGC Medical is a leading distributor of medical
devices with a particular focus on innovative products.
Allium completed CE Marking for its biliary and ureteral stents, and
commenced distribution of its biliary stents in June 2007 in Italy,
Sweden, Germany and Austria. Allium’s biliary stent was first used for
transhepatic treatment by radiologists, followed by successful
insertions of its endoscopic biliary stent by gastroenterologists at
Santo Spirito Hospital, Casale Monferrato, under Dr Carlo Poletti;
Ospedale San Giovanni Battista (Molinette), Torino, under Dr. Aldo
Garbarini; and at Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, Varese under
Prof. Giampaolo Carrafiello. Ureteral stent insertions are scheduled for
mid-2008.
Dr Paolo Cremascoli, President and CEO of NGC Medical SpA, said, “NGC
was the exclusive distributor in Italy of InStent Inc. which produced
the UroCoil, ProstaCoil, EndoCoil, EsophaCoil, etc., a highly successful
stent family also developed by Professor Daniel Yachia. We are very
happy to renew our relationship in launching the new Allium Stents. Our
initial sales were for first insertions at medical centres in northern
Italy. Based on successful results, we are now submitting bids to make
the Allium Stent widely available throughout Italy.”
Cremascoli added that NGC had signed contracts with Allium in 2006,
even before the products had been awarded CE Mark, so as to ensure it
had exclusive distribution rights.
Professor (Em) Daniel Yachia, MD, President, CSO and Senior
Consultant (Urology) for the Allium Group, said, “NGC’s support of this
new product is testament to their commitment to innovations such as
Allium’s technological platform, which can be adapted to suit almost any
stent-treatable site. Now, every organ can have a stent of its own.”