Allium Medical expands stent distribution in Europe
14 July 2008
Allium Medical Group has signed exclusive distribution deals for both
its ureteral and biliary stents with MenkeMed for the German and
Austrian markets and Ecce Dutoit for the Belgian, Dutch and Luxemburgian
(Benelux) markets. The values of the deals were not disclosed.
Founded in 2001, Allium develops site-specific stents for various
uses with applications in the urinary and gastro-intestinal tract.
Allium completed CE Marking for its biliary and ureteral stents, and
commenced distribution of its biliary stents as of June 2007 and its
ureteral stents as of December 2007 in various European markets
including Italy and Scandinavia. Follow-on orders have been received and
delivered.
“We are proud to be working with our new partners, MenkeMed and Ecce
Dutoit, who are providing Allium Medical a platform to major European
markets in order to realize our potential," said Prof (Em. Daniel Yachia,
MD, President, CSO and Senior Consultant (Urology) for the Allium Group.
"Their support of our technology is a testament to their commitment to
offering the European healthcare community innovative solutions. Allium
stents are truly revolutionary because they are dynamic, functional and
easily removable giving doctors solutions to meet demand for minimally
invasive solutions to increase patient comfort and convenience while not
compromising on treatment efficacy."
The two different deployment devices of the Allium's biliary stents
allow endoscopic (by gastroenterologists) or percutaneous trans-hepatic
(by interventional radiologists) insertion. Allium's ureteral stents are
also mounted on two different deployment devices allowing endoscopic
retrograde (by urologists), or percutaneous antegrade, or combined
antegrade and retrograde insertion (with or without an interventional
radiologist).
"Menkemed is committed to the distribution of novel and innovative
medical and surgical equipment in Germany, the largest medical market in
Europe, and Austria," said Frank Menke, CEO of MenkeMed. "We are most
impressed with Allium's site-specific, anatomically and functionally
compatible stents and believe that they offer significant advantages
over other products in the market. For example, Allium's stents are made
out of metal and are self-expandable. It has been cited in many studies
that large calibre metal stents are more acceptable to patients with
longer survival rates as compared to plastic stents which have to be
changed every two to four months."
Based in Belgium, Ecce Dutoit Medical, is a leader in the field of
medical imaging, including radiology and nuclear medicine, as well as a
prominent presence in the urological and gastro enterogical market in
Benelux with innovative technologies for over 25 years. The company will
distribute Allium's ureteral and billiary stents to the Benelux market.
"We are proud to be providing the Benelux market with the Allium
ureteral and biliary stents which have a large caliber, and are thin
walled. Both the biliary and ureteral stents stand out from the
competition by being entirely covered stents that have the uniqueness of
dynamism to fit to the function of the organ and the advantage of easy
removability," said Philip Meyers, CEO of Ecce Dutoit Medical.