Robocath Successfully Carries Out Its First Robotic Coronary Angioplasties in Humans

Rouen – Robocath, a company that designs, develops and commercializes cardiovascular robotic systems for the treatment of vascular diseases, today announces the success of its first two coronary angioplasties performed with assistance from its R-One™ robotic
platform. The procedures were performed in France at Rouen University Hospital by Professor Durand and Professor Sabatier and at Clinique Pasteur in Toulouse by Doctor Fajadet.

R-One™ assists interventional cardiologists in performing coronary angioplasties. The robotic platform is designed to facilitate and enhance interventional procedures performed for the patient and offers a better working environment for physicians and the entire medical team.

This prospective clinical study is the first of its kind to be conducted in Europe. It involves six European centers, three of which are based in France (Rouen University Hospital, Caen University Hospital, Clinique Pasteur in Toulouse). The study will involve 60 patients and aims to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the robotic-assisted platform R-One™ in coronary angioplasties.

Dr Philippe Bencteux, president and founder of Robocath, says: "These two successes mark a new era in the way interventional cardiology is practiced in Europe today. It is a project we have worked on for several years and the entire team and I are extremely proud of the success of these two procedures."

Professor Eric Durand, interventional cardiologist at Rouen University Hospital, comments: "I feel particularly privileged to have been given the opportunity several years ago to participate in this project and to now arrive at this first procedure in a human with excellent results."

"I am delighted with the success of these procedures. It is rewarding to see Rouen University Hospital continuing to support cutting edge innovations in the medical sector, nearly twenty years after conducting our first aortic valve implantation in the same operating room," said Alain Cribier, Professor Emeritus in Interventional Cardiology and Inventor of TAVI (Transcatheter Aortic Valve
Implantation).

Dr Jean Fajadet, co-director of the Interventional Cardiology Unit at Clinique Pasteur in Toulouse, continues: "I am very happy with the success of these procedures and confident regarding the study results. We are on the cusp of a major revolution in the field of interventional cardiology, thanks to the possibilities opened up by vascular robotics that we are developing at Clinique Pasteur."

Professor Rémi Sabatier, interventional cardiologist at Caen University Hospital, adds: "It was an honor for me to participate to this first robotized angioplasty. I’m delighted to share the joy of the teams who accompanied us on this adventure, which I’m looking forward to continuing at Caen University Hospital."
Lucien Goffart, CEO of Robocath, concludes: "It is a French success story that has been supported by all of our employees and by highly invested medical and technical teams, to whom I would today like to extend my warmest thanks and congratulations. It is a crucial step in our development and one that will pave the way for a transformation of the sector. This transformation involves all of the players in the industry and inevitably leads us to think about this industry in broader terms, thanks to the new possibilities offered by robotics, particularly in terms of the interoperability of equipment."

About Rouen University Hospital

The cardiology department of the University Hospital of Rouen is a reference for the management of cardio-vascular diseases, the leading cause of death in the world and a major cause of call and consultation in the emergency department. The cardiology department was the first to implant a percutaneous aortic valve in 2002, a major medical advance. This intervention carried out by Professor Cribier and his team offers an alternative care to patients with severe aortic stenosis at high risk of surgical mortality. More than 250,000 people have benefited from this technique in the world to date. Rouen University Hospital intends to continue this dynamic of research and innovation internationally.

About Clinique Pasteur, Toulouse

As the first independent private clinic in France, Clinique Pasteur has been making use of its expertise in cardiology for more than 30 years, with its team of professionals striving for excellence and innovation every day. The clinic has a cardiac center created by health care professionals with patients in mind and was designed to optimize patient care in cardiology. Ultra-modern interventional cardiology units are equipped with highly technical facilities and, starting this year, now integrate robotic-assisted angioplasty in their daily practice.

About Robocath

Founded in 2009 by Philippe Bencteux, MD, Robocath designs, develops and commercializes robotic solutions to treat cardiovascular diseases. As an active player in the evolving medical robotic industry, these innovative solutions aim to make medical procedures safer thanks to reliable technologies, while complementing manual interventions.