Perfuze celebrates a ‘major milestone’ for new-look stroke catheter

Michael Walter | April 22, 2025 | Cardiovascular Business | Interventional Cardiology

Image courtesy of Perfuze.

Perfuze, a medical device company based out of Ireland, has wrapped up enrollment for a pivotal investigational device exemption (IDE) trial focused on the safety and effectiveness of its Millipede 088 superbore aspiration catheter.

The Millipede 088 was designed to treat large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke patients by “ingesting” the blood clot as opposed to carrying it through the patient’s blood vessels. According to Perfuze, this “first pass effect” limits the risk of vessel damage or other procedure-related complications.

The MARRS pivotal trial has now enrolled 180 adult patients throughout the United States and Europe. The study’s primary outcomes are successful reperfusion and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage within 24 hour of treatment. While the Millipede 088 has already received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance, the company hopes data from MARRS will support an expanded approval for the device in the future.

“This marks a major milestone for Perfuze,” Wayne Allen, CEO and co-founder of Perfuze, said in a statement. “Completion of enrollment in MARRS brings us closer to making the Millipede System available to stroke physicians across the U.S. We’re incredibly grateful to the investigators, clinical teams, and most importantly, the patients who participated in the study.”

“I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to all the hospitals and clinical investigators involved in the MARRS study for their exceptional commitment and collaboration throughout the trial,” added MARRS principal investigator Raul Nogueira, MD, a professor with University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and former president of the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology. “Your dedication has been instrumental in executing a rigorous and high-quality study. Most importantly, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the stroke patients and their families who participated. Their courage and generosity in the face of acute illness made this crucial research possible.”

American Heart Association program leads to substantial improvements in stroke care

Strokes more likely for U.S. heart transplant recipients following policy change

Abbott’s Amulet LAAO device linked to long-term safety, effectiveness

FDA approves first new clot-dissolving drug for ischemic stroke in decades

Regulatory Roundup: FDA clears 2 new solutions, declines to approve omecamtiv mecarbil for HFrEF

Michael Walter, Managing Editor

Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.

Around the web

Health Exec

Tom Price: Medical residency slots need to expand to combat physician shortages

Tom Price, MD, former secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), said one way to address the growing shortage of physicians is to expand medical resident positions, but these are tied to Medicare spending so alternative means may be needed.

Health Imaging

Tariffs will have a significant impact on the nuclear imaging supply chain in the US

"Domestic radiopharmaceutical suppliers, who receive isotopes from abroad, would be impacted by price changes and uncertainty caused by additional tariffs,” SNMMI President Cathy Cutler, PhD, wrote in a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce this week.

Radiology Business

U.S. iodine contrast supply may not be subject to proposed 25% tariffs

If President Trump initiates a 25% tariff against pharmaceuticals imported from Ireland, it might impact the price for X-ray iodine contrast agents in the U.S. depending what rules are put in place.