Tokyo:Â AtCor Medical, the developer and marketer of the SphygmoCor system which measures central aortic blood pressures and arterial stiffness noninvasively, today announced that it has been granted a new patent "Brachial Cuff" in Japan.
This establishes a proprietary position for AtCor in measuring central aortic pressure waveforms using a standard brachial cuff with a transfer function, and confers intellectual property rights to AtCor until November 2032.
A transfer function is the only proven methodology to non-invasively derive all central pressure waveform features. These are directly related to cardiovascular function and ensure equivalence to invasive measurement of central aortic pressures. SphygmoCor pioneered this application of a transfer function and its intellectual property continues to protect the company from competitors replicating its precision. This patent further extends SphygmoCor competitive advantage.
"This patent locks in significant competitive advantage for AtCor", said AtCor Medical CEO Duncan Ross. "Being awarded this patent continues our progress in Japan, following appointment of our distribution partner A&D Company Limited which is already marketing SphygmoCor XCEL to the medical community. With central pressures being added to the Japanese Society of Hypertension Guidelines in 2014, this further strengthens our position in the world's second largest medical device market."
An application for the same patent is well advanced in USA.
