WEST CHESTER, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AtriCure, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATRC), a leading innovator in treatments for atrial fibrillation (Afib) and left atrial appendage (LAA) management, today announced that it has received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) for its AtriClip™ products, which includes the AtriClip™ Standard and the AtriClip Pro™ devices.
“We are excited to bring the AtriClip to Japan,” said Mike Carrel, President and CEO of AtriCure. “This is an important milestone for our growth prospects in the Japanese market, and we are thrilled that we can offer our LAA products to Japanese customers and patients. We see a great opportunity in the Japanese market for this solution, and are looking forward to the launch.”
The company’s distributor in Japan, Century Medical Inc. (CMI), worked closely with the company to secure approval. In addition, CMI will be working closely with the MHLW to secure healthcare insurance system reimbursement for the AtriClip products. CMI is the company’s exclusive distributor in Japan under an agreement that runs through 2019.
“We’re pleased to have secured this important approval. We expect that with this leading technology we will be able to significantly help Japanese patients in the area of LAA occlusion,” said Takahiko Motani, president and CEO of CMI.
The approval marks the first time that these products will be available in the Japanese market. The AtriClip is the fastest growing part of the AtriCure product portfolio. Through the nine months ending September 30, 2015, sales of the AtriClip grew at a rate of 48% on a global basis as compared to the prior period in 2014.
About AtriCure
AtriCure, Inc. is a medical device company providing innovative atrial fibrillation (Afib) solutions designed to produce superior outcomes that reduce the economic and social burden of atrial fibrillation. AtriCure’s Synergy™ Ablation System is the first and only surgical device approved for the treatment of persistent and longstanding persistent forms of Afib in patients undergoing certain open concomitant procedures. AtriCure’s AtriClip™ left atrial appendage management (LAAM) exclusion device is the most widely sold device worldwide that’s indicated for the occlusion of the left atrial appendage. The company believes cardiothoracic surgeons are adopting its ablation and LAAM devices for the treatment of Afib and reduction of Afib related complications such as stroke. AtriCure recently acquired nContact, a leader in minimally invasive technology for epicardial ablation. nContact’s mission is to transform the underserved arrhythmia population through a multidisciplinary epicardial-endocardial ablation approach. Afib affects more than 33 million people worldwide. For more information visit AtriCure.com or follow us on Twitter @AtriCure.