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SmartTRAK Life Sciences News and Analysis Blog

Anne Staylor

Former Senior Editor, Medtech Insight. +25 years in various leadership roles in business intelligence, marketing, communications, product management, and consulting for medical device industry, hospitals, physician groups, insurers. Registered nurse and former Director of Marketing for a national ambulatory surgery company.

Recent Posts

3 min read

ESMINT 2024: What's New in Neurointervention

By Anne Staylor on 11/12/24 9:30 AM

SmartTRAK reports on the latest research and innovation in neurointervention from ESMINT 2024. 

The European Society for Minimally Invasive Neurological Therapy (ESMINT) Annual Congress is unique, not only because it addresses issues and trends pertinent to Europe, but because it also provides a worldwide perspective that features cutting edge science, industry symposia, a novel “startup alley” and the latest advancements in therapies and techniques affecting the market for the minimally invasive treatment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

In this downloadable article, SmartTRAK highlights the top news, research and advances in neurointervention from ESMINT 2024 held September 4-6 in Marseille, France. This includes:

  • Innovation in Access Devices
    • Over the last several years, companies have been developing new catheters and access devices designed to better navigate difficult anatomy and tortuous vessels to reach target vessels and achieve rapid access during neurovascular intervention. With this in mind, two companies have developed novel guidewires with remotely shapeable tips that can be used to address different types of anatomy and facilitate successful catheterization ... (read more)
  • Advances in Mechanical Thrombectomy from the Following Companies
    • Rapid Medical
    • Q’Apel Medical
    • Balt
    • WallabyPhenox
    • Acandis 
    • Stryker
    • Medtronic
    • PenumbraPenumbra
    • JNJ MedTech
    • Terumo Neuro
    • Vesalio
  • Current and Emerging Flow Diverters
    • Since the FDA approved Medtronic’s Pipeline Embolization Device in 2011, flow diversion has revolutionized the treatment of intracranial aneurysms and allowed clinicians to treat a wider range of aneurysms in more complex anatomies. Today, flow diverters continue to evolve and almost every manufacturer of neurovascular devices currently has or is developing a flow diverter as part of its hemorrhagic stroke portfolio. (read more)

Click the button below to download and read the comprehensive "ESMINT 2024: What's New in Neurointervention" Market Outlook article by Anne Staylor, SmartTRAK Executive Editor VP and GM, Neuro Therapies.

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2 min read

ASPN 2024: Research and Innovation in Interventional Pain

By Anne Staylor on 9/18/24 9:30 AM

SmartTRAK reports the latest research and innovation in interventional pain management from ASPN 2024. 

Interventional pain management is rapidly evolving. Practitioners are expanding the tools in their toolbox beyond traditional pain therapies to offer patients a wider range of new and innovative treatment options in spinal cord stimulation (SCS), peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), minimally invasive spine and radiofrequency ablation as well as regenerative and restorative therapies.  

In this article,  SmartTRAK  highlights the latest research and innovation in interventional pain management from the American Society of Pain & Neuroscience (ASPN) Annual Conference, held July 11-14  in Miami, FL. The ASPN meeting has grown exponentially over the last several years and is a reflection of the growing interest in providing more treatment options to patients with chronic intractable pain. (See also  SmartTRAK’s  interview with ASPN Chairman Tim Deer, MD,  ASPN 2024: Evolving Ideas into Innovation and Practice .)
 
Among the many topics covered in detail in this informative article are:
 

Spinal Cord Stimulation

  • Correlating Neurophysiological Data to Pain and Treatment Success
  • FAST US Real-World Data
  • Remote SCS Management
  • Data Supporting Expanded Indications
    • Nonsurgical Back Pain
    • Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
    • Nociceptive Pain

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

  • Craniofacial, Head/Neck Pain
  • Comfort PNS Devices
  • Next Generation PNS Devices

Minimally Invasive Spine

  • Basivertebral Nerve Ablation (BVNA)
  • Minimally Invasive SI Joint Fusion
  • Lumbar Decompression for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Regenerative and Restorative Medicine

  • Intradiscal Therapy

Click the button below to download and read the complete "ASPN 2024: Research and Innovation in Interventional Pain" Market Outlook article by Anne Staylor, SmartTRAK Executive Editor, VP & GM of Neuro Therapies.

 

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3 min read

Medtronic: Transforming DBS Therapy - An Interview with Amaza Reitmeier

By Anne Staylor on 9/4/24 9:45 AM

Amaza Reitmeier, Medtronic’s VP and GM of Brain Modulation, discusses the company’s recent FDA approvals for asleep DBS and expanded MRI labeling, and provides an update on adaptive DBS in an interview with SmartTRAK. 

In an interview with SmartTRAK, Medtronic’s Amaza Reitmeier, vice president and general manager of Brain Modulation, discusses the company’s recent news in deep brain stimulation (DBS), including FDA approval for asleep DBS and MRI expanded labeling that allows patients to undergo additional scan time. She also provides an update on adaptive DBS (aDBS) and the ADAPT-PD trial, which is expected to support the global regulatory submissions to commercialize aDBS in patients with PD.  Medtronic recently filed for US FDA approval of aDBS.

Click on the following video to listen to the interview (14:32 minutes). A link to download a complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.
 


Interview Transcript

SmartTRAK: Hey everybody. Anne Staylor here with SmartTRAK. Today I get to talk to Amaza Reitmeier, the vice president and general manager of Brain Modulation at Medtronic. Hey Amaza, thanks for talking with me.

Amaza Reitmeier: Hi, Anne. Great to see you.

I know that you have some big news around DBS. You guys are advancing pretty quickly. The latest news involves FDA approval for asleep vs awake DBS, MRI expanded labeling, and then maybe you could give me an update on some other aspects of the adaptive DBS. So let's get started.

AR: Fantastic.

What is the significance? Talk a little bit about the FDA approval for asleep vs awake DBS, and why is that important? A lot of people are doing that. Just talk a little bit about the significance of that and what it means for Medtronic.

AR:
Thank you, Anne. Well, first and foremost, you know from our prior conversations that we're very focused on the patient and making sure that patients have the best options available to them. While you're right that asleep DBS has been being done for years, it's actually been contraindicated in our labeling. The original labeling for DBS, which was established decades ago, required test stimulation to confirm that the therapy was working. But we also know that ...

Click the button below to download and read the full transcript of the SmartTRAK perspective article "Transforming DBS Therapy - An Interview with Amaza Reitmeier" conducted by Anne Staylor, SmartTRAK's Executive Editor and VP & GM of Neuro Therapies. Download the Transcript

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3 min read

SNIS 2024: An Interview with Imperative Care's Ariel Sutton

By Anne Staylor on 8/20/24 9:45 AM

Ariel Sutton, EVP and GM of Imperative Care’s Stroke business, discusses the Imperative Trial, the company’s Zoom Insert Catheters and more in an interview with SmartTRAK at SNIS 2024. 

Imperative Care’s Ariel Sutton, executive vice president and general manager of the company’s Stroke business, discusses results from the Imperative Trial, what it means for the acute ischemic stroke (AIS) market and the company’s newest innovations in an interview with SmartTRAK at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgeons (SNIS) 21st Annual meeting in Colorado Springs, CO held July 22 to 26, 2024.

To find out more, listen to the following video (15:54 minutes). A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is also provided below. 

 

Interview Transcript (scroll down to download the complete transcript)

SmartTRAK: Anne Staylor here with SmartTRAK. Today I am speaking with Ariel Sutton, EVP and GM of Imperative Care Stroke Business, live from the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgeons annual meeting in Colorado Springs. Ariel, thank you for talking with me today.

Ariel Sutton: 
Thank you for having me.

Let's start by having you talk about Imperative Care's presence at SNIS. What's important for us to know?

AS: We’re really excited to share the results of the Imperative Trial at SNIS this year. This is a 260-patient prospective trial across 26 centers in the US, evaluating the clinical benefits of the Zoom Stroke Solution, including aspiration with our Zoom 88 catheters. The results from the trial showed high reperfusion rates of 82.2% TICI 2B+, which is similar to previous studies that were submitted to the FDA for 510(k) clearance for reperfusion indication. There are a few metrics that we think are important to highlight from the trial. First is ...  

Click the button below to download and read the full transcript of the interview "SNIS 2024: An Interview with Imperative Care's Ariel Sutton" , conducted by Anne Staylor, SmartTRAK's Executive Editor and VP & GM of Neuro Therapies. Download the Transcript

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5 min read

ASPN 2024: SmartTRAK's Interview with Tim Deer, MD

By Anne Staylor on 7/16/24 8:41 PM

ASPN Chairman Tim Deer, MD, discusses the research and innovation at ASPN 2024 and the society’s collaborative approach to improving care for patients with chronic intractable pain in an interview with SmartTRAK.

Timothy R. Deer, MD, chairman of the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience (ASPN), discusses the society's goals, its rapid growth, and how ASPN is collaborating with different stakeholders to improve patient care and offer a wider range of new and innovative treatment options for patients with chronic intractable pain. To find out more, including what’s new in neuromodulation, minimally invasive spine and regenerative medicine, listen to the following video recorded live at the ASPN 2024 Annual Conference held July 11-14, 2024 in Miami Beach, FL. A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is also provided below. 


SmartTRAK: Anne Staylor here with SmartTRAK. I'm at the beautiful Fontainebleau Hotel in balmy Miami Beach, Florida at the American Society of Pain and Neuroscience Annual Conference. Today is the last day of the conference and I have the pleasure of talking with Dr. Tim Deer, the chairman of ASPN. Dr. Deer, thank you for talking with me today.

Dr. Tim Deer: Anne, thank you so much for having me. It's a great pleasure to talk to you and thank you for coming to our meeting.

Yes. Well, as you know, I think three years ago was the last time I was at your meeting, and I've had a colleague cover it who lives on the East Coast since then. Now I'm back covering the meeting and wow, has it grown exponentially since you and Dr. Sayed co-founded this meeting. I think this year, there's been a lot of energy and vibrancy around the content and in the exhibit hall and honestly, there's so much news for me to cover.

But before we get into the meeting, I thought it'd be a good idea to have you start by talking about the meeting itself, how it's grown, what the attendance has been this year, et cetera. And then what have been some of the key goals of society? And what have you and your vice chair, Dr. Sayed, been working toward as a society since you established the meeting?

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4 min read

INS 2024: The Past, Present and Future of Neuromodulation

By Anne Staylor on 6/17/24 12:16 PM

INS President Dr. Marc Russo and INS President-Elect Dr. Konstantin Slavin discuss the current “state of the union” in neuromodulation, how the field is evolving and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in an interview with SmartTRAK at INS 2024.

At the 16th International Neuromodulation Society World Congress (INS 2024) held in Vancouver, Canada, Dr. Marc Russo, INS president, and Dr. Konstantin Slavin, INS president-elect, discussed the current “state of the union” in neuromodulation, how the field is evolving, where it’s going and trends in research, technology and clinical practice in an interview with SmartTRAK. They also discussed challenges and opportunities in the field, how the INS is addressing recent criticisms about neuromodulation and the promise and potential of neuromodulation across a wide range of clinical applications. 

To find out more, including the promising indications and areas of growth for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS), click on the following video to listen to the interview recorded live at INS 2024 (51:53 min). Click hereto download a complete transcript of the interview. Topics by timecode are provided below. 

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3 min read

Inceptiv SCS: Offering Options in a Closed-Loop Device

By Anne Staylor on 4/26/24 11:56 AM

Medtronic’s David Carr, VP & GM, Pain Interventions, discusses Inceptiv closed-loop SCS in an interview with SmartTRAK.

Medtronic (MDT) announced FDA approval for the Inceptiv closed-loop rechargeable spinal cord stimulator (SCS), the second closed-loop SCS device to reach the market using evoked compound action potentials (ECAPS). The company previously launched Inceptiv in Europe and Japan and plans to initiate Inceptiv’s US market launch in the coming weeks. 

SmartTRAK recently interviewed David Carr, MDT’s vice president and general manager of Pain Interventions, to learn more about Inceptiv, what differentiates it from other SCS devices and what it means for Medtronic and the SCS market. To listen to the interview, click on the following video (22:54 min). A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is also provided below. 


Anne Staylor here with BiomedGPS. Today, I am talking with David Carr, who is the vice president and general manager of Pain Interventions at Medtronic. Exciting news, David. Medtronic now has FDA approval for your Inceptiv SCS device, an ECAPs-based device. So David, tell me what does Inceptiv mean for Medtronic?

David Carr: Good afternoon, Anne, and thank you for your time today and your interest in this announcement for us. This is a big moment for Medtronic and especially for the pain team within Medtronic. This is technology that has taken many, many years to develop. If you think back to the pivotal RCT, we did ECHOMAC, which demonstrated the performance of closed-loop technology, the algorithm, many years ago. Six published manuscripts across many recognized journals. Twenty peer-reviewed abstracts and posters, data from over 200 patients and several million ECAPs. So this is not something that's just been developed in the last couple of years. There's been a tremendous amount of work invested in this platform. So this is a very big moment for Medtronic, finally getting approval with the FDA to launch the product in the US market. Because as you know, we've already launched this product in Europe and Japan, and we're already seeing the tremendous patient benefits that the product brings to the market.

Let's start by having you talk about the technology itself. What are the key differentiators for Inceptiv versus other ECAPs-based devices on the market?

DC: Well, there's only one other ECAP-based product on the market, and that product is essentially closed-loop paresthesia. Okay, what differentiates this product is ...

To download and read the complete interview "Inceptiv SCS: Offering Options in a Closed-Loop Device" with David Carr, VP and GM of Pain Interventions at Medtronic, just click the button below. Download the Transcript

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3 min read

Route 92 Medical: Raising the Bar in Neurovascular Thrombectomy

By Anne Staylor on 3/19/24 9:30 AM

Adam Hattan, VP of marketing for Route 92 Medical, discusses the SUMMIT MAX trial and provides an update on the company and products in an interview with SmartTRAK.

Route 92 Medical (R92) is raising the bar and advancing the treatment of acute ischemic stroke through its 250-patient SUMMIT MAX clinical trial, the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of “super-bore” 0.088” aspiration catheters. The company recently announced enrollment is complete in SUMMIT MAX, which features the company’s Monopoint Reperfusion System, including the HiPoint 88 and HiPoint 70 Reperfusion Catheters and the Tenzing Catheters. HiPoint is currently approved by the FDA as an access catheter, but the company plans to submit the results of SUMMIT MAX to the FDA to obtain the NRY indication, which would allow physicians to use the device on label as an aspiration catheter.

For an update on R92, its products and what SUMMIT​ MAX means for the company and market, SmartTRAK interviewed Adam Hattan, R92’s vice president of marketing. Click on the video below to listen to the interview, recorded via Google Meet (19:48 min). A link to download the complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

Download the Adam Hattan Interview Transcript

Topics: Neurovascular
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3 min read

Medtronic: Making Waves At NANS 2024

By Anne Staylor on 2/6/24 9:40 AM

Medtronic executives discuss how the Company is making waves in interventional pain, minimally invasive spine and deep brain stimulation in an interview with SmartTRAK at NANS 2024.

Medtronic’s David Carr, vice president and general manager of Pain Interventions, and Amaza Reitmeier, vice president and general manager of Brain Modulation, discuss the Company’s latest news, research and innovation in an interview with SmartTRAK at the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) 2024 Annual Meeting held January 18-21 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

To find out more, including the Company’s priorities and vision for interventional pain, minimally invasive spine and deep brain stimulation, click on the following video to listen to the interview (32:30 min). Topics by timecode are provided below, and you can click the button to download a transcript of the interview.

Download the Transcript

Interview Topics by Timecode:

00:27 David Carr introduction and background. Overview of Medtronic’s top news at NANS and the importance of the Company’s broad portfolio of pain intervention solutions, including stimulation, targeted drug delivery and interventional spine. 

04:28 Overview of Medtronic’s presence at NANS regarding clinical and scientific research vs competitors. Highlights of clinical data from Australian ECAPs study to support the introduction of the Inceptiv Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) system, what’s next for Inceptiv and how Inceptiv differs from other ECAP-based SCS devices. Discussion of other research and evidence to support expanded indications and health economics. Company strategies for leveraging data to drive adoption, reimbursement and growth in non-surgical refractory back pain and diabetic painful neuropathy (DPN),

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7 min read

What’s New in Neuromodulation? News to Know Before NANS 2024

By Anne Staylor on 1/9/24 9:30 AM

The North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024 and is once again bringing together the leading clinicians, researchers and manufacturers to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas for the NANS 2024 Annual Meeting, to be held January 18-21. To get you up to speed before the meeting, SmartTRAK has put together highlights of recent neuromodulation news. The following is just a small sampling of recent Neuromodulation-related news and updates from around the world compiled, reviewed and posted in real-time every day by the expert analysts at SmartTRAK.

SmartTRAK will be attending NANS 2024 from January 18-21. If you'd like to meet with us in person, please reach out to Anne Staylor, SmartTRAK’s Executive Editor and VP & GM, Neuro Therapies, at anne.staylor@smarttrak.com, or just click the button below. Meet with SmartTRAK

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