Medtronic today announced it has entered into an exclusive U.S. distribution agreement with Japan-based Future Medical Design Co., Ltd. (FMD) to sell specialty and workhorse peripheral guidewires. This agreement includes the first 400 cm, 0.018" peripheral guidewire available in the U.S, expanding the Medtronic portfolio for transradial access for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD).  

Medtronic is the sole distributor of 10 new F-14™* and F-18™* peripheral stainless steel guidewires, available in 300 cm and 400 cm lengths. The 0.018” 400 cm wire, along with the 200 cm working length IN.PACT™ 018 drug coated balloon and Pacific™ Plus PTA catheter, provides physicians with a comprehensive suite of tools needed to reach lesions from a transradial approach.

“The F-14 and F-18 guidewires offer the tactile feedback, wire strength and control physicians need for lower extremity interventions, while also expanding radial access tools, a significant advancement,” said John Laird, M.D., chief medical officer for the Peripheral Vascular Health business, which is part of the Cardiovascular Portfolio at Medtronic. “The addition of these to the Medtronic portfolio is a meaningful step forward for our customers and the patients they serve.”

The FMD Guidewires are engineered for crossability, trackability, and tip retention, allowing for the treatment of complex cases. Product features include:

• 0.014” and 0.018” diameters for complex and routine cases
• 300 cm and 400 cm working lengths for femoral or radial access
• A stainless-steel core for strength and torqueability
• Multiple tip loads to navigate tortuous vessels and cross challenging lesions or occlusions

“These stainless steel guidewires are a valuable addition to our product suite,” said David Moeller, president of Medtronic Peripheral Vascular Health. “We are committed to equipping physicians with the tools they need and now have a more complete guidewire portfolio to offer physicians for a variety of needs, including transradial approaches.”

About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic, visit www.Medtronic.com and follow on LinkedIn.

About FMD
With 30 years of manufacturing expertise spanning neurovascular, coronary, and peripheral applications, FMD has established a strong presence in the guidewire market.  Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, FMD is an innovative leader in the design, development, and manufacture of interventional guidewires that address the everyday to highly specialized needs of physicians.  FMD’s peripheral guidewires maintain a market leading position in the highly competitive Japanese market and introducing these products into the US represents an exciting opportunity for FMD and US physicians alike. For more information on FMD, visit_www.fmd-j.com/eng.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

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