Monteris touts laser ablation study data

Monteris Medical said yesterday that data from a new study of its NeuroBlate minimally invasive robotic laser thermotherapy tool showed improved outcomes for patients undergoing procedures with the device.

The findings were presented at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting in New Orleans.

The NeuroBlate system is an FDA-cleared device designed to ablate, necrotize or coagulate soft tissue during neurosurgery procedures through laser thermotherapy, and is not intended for any specific disease or lesion type, the company said.

“To date, limited data have been available on brain tumor patients that received MRI-guided laser ablation. This multicenter study, which also included cases from Washington University in Saint Louis and Yale-New Haven Hospital, is the largest series of laser ablation for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma lesions ever conducted and shows that NeuroBlate has an impact on both overall and progression-free survival on patients after surgery. While additional prospective studies are warranted, these preliminary findings are encouraging,” neurosurgeon Dr. Alireza Mohammadi said in prepared remarks.

A study of the device, used to treat glioblastomas in 22 patients who had not received prior radiation or chemotherapy, found extent of coverage for 10-minute and 2 minute thermal-damage procedures to be 91% and 94%, respectively.

In a separate study, the New Orleans-based company said the NeuroBlate SideFire directional laser was used successfully in its 1st ablation of the hippocampus and amygdala.

“While brain structures with regular shapes can be readily targeted with laser therapy, complex structures have historically posed a challenge with this modality. A directional laser enabled contouring in the hippocampus and amygdala, regions that would otherwise be difficult to ablate. These findings, while preliminary, help lay the foundation for maximally precise, minimally-invasive lesioning of targets in the brain including tumors, seizure foci and low-flow vascular lesions,” study author Dr. Joseph Neimat said in a prepared statement.

The device was cleared by the FDA in April, 2013, the company said, and is used in more than 22 institutions in the U.S.

“We are encouraged by the growing body of scientific evidence supporting the use of NeuroBlate as a minimally invasive tool to ablate brain lesions. We are grateful to our clinical collaborators for advancing these studies and presenting their findings at this important scientific forum,” CEO John Schellhorn said in a press release.

Last November, Monteris Medical said a pair of new backers joined a $30 million Series B round it planned to use to expand the commercial footprint of its NeuroBlate robotic brain tumor laser.

Plymouth, Minn.-based Monteris said the round was led by new investor Birchview Capital and included another new party, The Vertical Group, and existing backer BDC Capital Healthcare Fund.

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