New Distribution Agreement for Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging

(Burlington, MA, USA), a developer of minimally invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) tissue imaging systems, reported that it has signed a distribution agreement with Moss, SpA (Milan, Italy).

The distribution agreement with Moss covers the Tomophase product range, including the OCT imaging system, OCTIS, and the OCTIS probes in the territory Italy and San Marino. Upon signing, Moss also purchased two systems for waiting Italian clinicians who are pulmonary imaging specialists. Delivery and installation of OCTIS is scheduled for June 2013. These new systems for Italian medical centers follow the deployment and installation of OCTIS in Germany at the Thoraxklinik, University of Heidelberg (Germany). Both Moss and Tomophase will work together to expand the availability of this novel and much anticipated technology to the Italian medical community.

“We are delighted to have Moss as our distributor in Italy. President Franco Papa and his team have been very active with innovative imaging technologies and have been following our progress at Tomophase. We look forward to close cooperation with Moss as they extend our OCTIS technology for interventional pulmonology throughout Italy,” said Ralph Johnston, president and CEO.

Dr. Peter Norris, Tomophase executive chairman, commented, “The partnership of Tomophase with Franco Papa and Moss is another example of the high level of international interest in the OCTIS platform. With their experience in interventional pulmonology, Moss is an excellent fit for OCTIS and our goal of introducing physicians to the greatly expanded pulmonary imaging capabilities it affords. The placement of OCTIS units in two major pulmonary centers in Italy is a major step forward in meeting this goal.”

Mr. Franco Papa, Moss president and CEO, personally expressed, “Moss has specialized through the years in identifying high-tech, innovative solutions which may provide concrete answers to our end-users’ most specific therapeutic demands. Therefore we welcome the opportunity to partner with an outstanding company like Tomophase for the purpose of developing the national market by means of such a strategic collaboration and, thus, achieve a successful introduction of the Tomophase OCT imaging system in the field.”

Moss was founded to advance the concept of creating an active platform for young and dynamic companies in order to offer foreign-based advanced medical device manufacturers a local, operating interface to support their needs and requirements throughout Italy.

Tomophase develops bronchoscopic-based systems for interventional pulmonology. Providing substantially higher resolution than either CT scan or ultrasound, OCTIS provides real-time, high resolution, subsurface tissue imaging of airways and lungs, to be followed by diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

The goal of the technology is to provide physicians with previously unobtainable airway microstructural images to improve the management and clinical outcome of pulmonary disease. The company has 28 patent and applications issued and pending. US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for OCTIS was received and the CE marking is expected in June 2013. The US commercial launch is underway and the European Union (EU) rollout is proceeding. The company is currently raising investment capital to meet the increasing international demand for the OCT imaging system.

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