Surgical devices maker Cardica (CRDC) has secured a key patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its proprietary Microcutter technology. The patent relates to the articulation of the company’s Microcutter surgical cutting and stapling device.
Cardica’s Microcutter product line is intended to provide genuine multi-fire endoscopic stapling for a number of procedures, such as thoracic, colorectal as well as general surgery. The Microcutter lineup is expected to cut and staple on a continuous basis, thereby permitting the surgeon to complete consecutive deployments without removing the device to reload the cartridge.
Cardica recently received European CE Mark for its initial Microcutter device. The first product in the Microcutter family which the company intends to market is the Microcutter XPRESS 30. The company, in March 2011, stated that it plans to conduct a partial release of the device to about 20 to 30 surgeons in the U.S. in mid-2011, contingent upon the 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”).
The Microcutter XPRESS 30 has a diameter of only 8 millimeter (mm), compared to other commercialized stapling products, which have a diameter of 12 mm or more. The lesser diameter of the expected Microcutter lineup permits access through smaller-sized, less-intrusive ports and through trocars used for other surgical tools needed for laparoscopic surgery.
Cardica manufactures stapling devices for endoscopic and cardiac surgery procedures. Its proprietary technology is designed to reduce operating time and enable minimally-invasive and robot-assisted surgeries. The company markets its automated anastomosis systems for coronary artery bypass graft (“CABG”) surgery and has sold over 33,000 units globally.
Cardica inked a licensing pact with Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) in August 2010, under which the latter obtained the exclusive global license to Cardica’s intellectual property, related to tissue cutting, stapling and clip appliers for application in the robotics field. In return, Intuitive made an upfront license payment of $12 million which Cardica used to repay all of its outstanding debt.
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