Imricor Medical Systems, Inc. (ASX: IMR), the global leader in real-time iCMR cardiac ablation products, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with GE HealthCare.
Under the terms of the MOU, GE HealthCare and Imricor intend to collaborate to interface Imricor’s Advantage-MR EP Recorder/Stimulator and NorthStar-MR 3D Mapping System with GE HealthCare MRI scanners.
The companies say a successful collaboration will enable cardiac electrophysiology (EP) ablation procedures guided by real-time MRI, using Imricor’s catheters and other disposable devices, to be performed on the GE HealthCare MRI platform.
The collaboration with GE HealthCare would expand Imricor’s potential to interface with GE HealthCare’s new and currently installed MRI scanners.
The MOU has an initial term of five years, with automatic renewal for one year thereafter unless terminated by either party. The collaboration will involve developing hardware and software interfaces between Imricor’s devices and GE HealthCare’s MRI systems.
Imricor’s short-term goal is to allow sites with GE HealthCare MRI systems to participate in the upcoming “Vision-MR Ablation of Atrial FLutter” or VISABL-AFL clinical trial in the US and “Vision-MR Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia” or VISABL-VT clinical trial in Europe. The Company’s overall goal is to broaden the choices physicians and hospitals have when choosing an MRI platform for their iCMR labs.
Imricor’s innovative technology has the potential to bring significant benefit to a large number of cardiac arrhythmia patients,” Anja Brau, PhD, General Manager, GE HealthCare MR Clinical Solutions and Research Collaborations, said.
“GE HealthCare has a long-standing history of applying MR to therapy guidance and control; we would be pleased to add Imricor’s capabilities to provide our customers with more options to treat their patients.”
Steve Wedan, Imricor’s CEO and Chair, said he was thrilled at the prospect of expanding the portfolio of MRI scanners that support Advantage-MR and NorthStar-MR technology.
“The addition of GE HealthCare will give physicians and hospitals significantly more flexibility to use the MRI hardware of their choice, when providing real-time iCMR ablations for their patients.
“We are grateful to our existing customers who have embraced our real-time iCMR ablation technology and look forward to making the benefits of this technology even more widely available.”