Anaconda Biomed announced the enrollment and treatment of the first U.S. patient in a clinical trial of its ANA Funnel Catheter.
Dr. Shahram Majidi performed the first treatment in the ATHENA trial at Mount Sinai in New York. The 327-patient study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of the proprietary funnel catheter.
Anaconda designed the device for use during stent retriever-based thrombectomy to facilitate clot removal. It restricts flow during retrieval, enabling simultaneous aspiration and reducing the risk of clot fragmentation at capture in patients suffering from large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke.
According to a news release, the funnel catheter features the largest capture diameter currently available for neuroendovascular thrombectomy. Feasibility studies conducted with the device demonstrated high rates of reperfusion and first-pass success. The device also registered a strong safety profile, supporting an FDA investigational device exemption approval last September.
The company expects to complete enrollment in the IDE study in the first half of 2026.
“The ATHENA clinical trial marks the next important step in advancing our funnel catheter technology for ischemic stroke and builds on the promising preliminary efficacy results observed during our earlier ANAIS Study,” said Trent Reutiman, CEO, Anaconda Biomed. “We are pleased to now be enrolling this vital study in the U.S. while also achieving a fast start internationally.”
