Monteris Medical Reaches Milestone for Neuroblate System

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Oct 18, 2016, 08:00 ET

Innovative Minimally Invasive Approach for Neurological Conditions Has Been Used in 1,000 Patient Procedures

PLYMOUTH, Minn., Oct. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Monteris Medical today announced that leading surgeons at 40 sites across the U.S. and Canada have used the company's NeuroBlate^® System, a minimally invasive robotic laser thermotherapy tool, in more than 1,000 patient procedures.

"NeuroBlate is a significant advance in neurosurgery, offering the potential to improve clinical outcomes for patients," said Eric C. Leuthardt, M.D., Professor of Neurological Surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Director of the Center for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology, and the Brain Laser Center at Washington University School of Medicine. "And because NeuroBlate is a minimally invasive tool, we are seeing reductions in pain and shorter recovery times compared with traditional open surgery."

The NeuroBlate System combines proprietary hardware, software and disposable surgical devices with the imaging power of an existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. The integration of these devices allows a neurosurgeon to precisely direct a cooled laser probe into a brain lesion, such as a tumor, and administer lethal laser therapy to kill unwanted cells.

To accommodate increased demand for NeuroBlate, Monteris recently moved into a new, larger corporate headquarters in Plymouth, Minnesota where it maintains manufacturing and laboratory space. Monteris also has offices and an R&D facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

"Reaching the 1,000 patient milestone is a significant event for Monteris and we are grateful to all of our employees and collaborators for their dedication to improving the lives of people affected by brain tumors and lesions," said Martin J. Emerson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monteris. "Since receiving FDA clearance in 2013, NeuroBlate has experienced rapid uptake and clinical adoption, reinforced by a steady stream of clinical data underscoring its efficacy. We are committed to continuing efforts to increase access to NeuroBlate and look forward to sharing additional milestones in the future."

AutoLITT^®, the technology that evolved into the NeuroBlate System, was co-invented by Mark Torchia, Associate Professor of Surgery in the College of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba and Richard Tyc, P.Eng., who currently serves as the Company's Vice President of Technology and Advanced Development. The technology underlying the NeuroBlate System has received several notable awards, including the Canadian Governor General's Innovation Award (2016), the Ernest C. Manning Principal Innovation Award (2015) and the Medical Device Excellence Award (2015).

In addition to its proprietary hardware, NeuroBlate uses Monteris' complementary M•Vision™ Software, a menu-driven application that guides each procedure. M•Vision Software helps the surgeon accurately control the administration of thermal therapy by monitoring temperature changes in and around the target tissue in three dimensions.

"Accurate temperature monitoring is absolutely the key to both the safety and efficacy of your delivered treatment plan during a laser ablation procedure," said Peter Fecci, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center. "One of the many things I like about the NeuroBlate system is the reliability of its MR thermography. The recently upgraded M•Vision Software and TruTemp™ intelligence provides the accuracy and precision in temperature readings that we simply must have for effective therapy delivery."

Monteris also maintains www.MyBrainSurgeryOptions.com, a dedicated website for patients and families containing useful information including questions to ask healthcare providers, a provider directory and a glossary of technical terms.

About the NeuroBlate System^®

The NeuroBlate System is FDA-cleared to ablate, necrotize or coagulate soft tissue encountered in the discipline of neurosurgery through the application of laser thermotherapy. NeuroBlate is a tool (as opposed to a "treatment") and is not intended to treat any specific disease. Physicians should use their clinical judgment and experience when deciding whether to use NeuroBlate.

Full prescribing information for the NeuroBlate System is available at www.monteris.com.

About Monteris^®

Monteris^® Medical is a privately held company developing innovative MRI-guided, laser-based brain lesion therapy. Monteris Medical markets the NeuroBlate^® System, a neurosurgical ablation device providing controlled therapy for brain lesions. The company also offers the Monteris Mini-Bolt, the only cranial bolt system that enables a robotic interface for protected and precise therapy delivery, as well as the AtamA™ Stabilization System for MRI-guided neurosurgical procedures requiring head fixation.

For more information on Monteris Medical please visit www.monteris.com.

SOURCE Monteris Medical