Penumbra Inc. has announced its next phase for vascular franchise growth with U.S. commercial availability of the Indigo System Lightning 12 and the appointments of Corey L. Teigen, MD, to chief scientific officer; and James F. Benenati, MD, FSIR, to chief medical officer – two newly created positions. Innovating the Indigo System peripheral thrombectomy technology is a key part of the company’s overall growth plan to continue momentum in its fast-growing vascular franchise.
The Indigo System Lightning 12 is the company’s next generation aspiration system for peripheral thrombectomy. Lightning 12 combines the new Indigo System CAT12 Aspiration Catheter with Lightning Intelligent Aspiration, enabling physicians to focus on optimizing thrombus removal using the system’s unique clot detection mechanism. CAT12 is a large-lumen aspiration catheter that incorporates novel laser-cut hypotube-based catheter engineering to provide advanced deliverability and torqueability within the body. This combination of intelligent aspiration and large-lumen catheter engineering makes Lightning 12 Penumbra’s most advanced clot removal technology.
“Penumbra continues to lead the field of clot management by bringing highly innovative technology to address the challenges that we as physicians face while caring for our patients,” said Frank Arko, MD, chief, Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute in North Carolina.
“When dealing with thrombus, we have learned that it is the combination of the catheter ,along with powered aspiration, that yields the most effective results. Lightning 12 with Intelligent Aspiration is a giant leap forward for the field of thrombectomy, and we have been very impressed with the early results at Sanger.”
Patrick Muck, MD, chief of Vascular Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Ohio said the simplicity of Lightning Intelligent Aspiration combined with the significant advancements in catheter engineering will enable us as physicians to get closer to our thrombus removal goal in a safe manner, as well as our goal of improving clinical outcomes for our patients.
Jay Mathews, MD and interventional cardiologist at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Florida: said Lightning 12 provides physicians with an integrated system that not only removes large amounts of thrombus but also detects and manages clot removal.
“This is a very important advancement for the field of thrombus management, and our initial experience at Manatee Memorial with this technology shows us that we are now closer to single-setting care for our patients,” Dr. Matthews said.
LEADERSHIP APPOINTMENTS
Penumbra also announced appointments two newly created positions: chief scientific officer (CSO) and chief medical officer.
Dr. Teigen, a board certified vascular and interventional radiologist, joins immediately as CSO and will contribute his extensive scientific and clinical expertise to ongoing and future research and development efforts. His research has focused on multiple areas including development of the Cordis Incraft stent graft for the endovascular repair of abdominal aneurysm.
He has also been involved in the development of intravascular stents, balloons, liquid and coil embolics, inferior vena cava filters, and thrombectomy devices. He has served on the Peripheral Vascular Committee of SIR and was Co-director of the Sanford Health Vascular Institute.
“In my radiology practice, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges medical practitioners face while treating difficult medical conditions,” Dr. Teigen said. “At Penumbra, I have a profound opportunity to change the course of healthcare delivery for people living with vascular disease. I feel privileged to join Penumbra’s group of talented engineers and leaders, and I look forward to contributing my scientific knowledge to help solve challenging medical problems.”
Dr. Benenati, a board certified vascular and interventional radiologist. Prior to joining Penumbra, Dr. Benenati practiced interventional radiology at the Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute at Baptist Hospital in Miami for 30 years, where he has served in multiple positions, including medical director of the noninvasive vascular laboratory and fellowship program director. He joined Penumbra on Sept. 1, as CMO, and will contribute to clinical and medical affairs strategies and advise upon global commercialization and market development activities.
Dr. Benenati is vice chairman of the department of interventional radiology and clinical professor of radiology at the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami. He is also a Collaborative Professor of Radiology at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine.
He is past president of the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR 2011) and past annual meeting chairman for the SIR Annual Meeting in 2005. He has received the highest awards given by the SIR, including the SIR Gold Medal and the Charles T. Dotter Award. VTN
