Biotronik today said it’s launching the Pantera Pro balloon catheter, which won CE Mark approval in the European Union in January.

The German medical device giant said the new device is a complete re-design of its Pantera catheter that aims to improve access to the lesion site and ensure proper dilation.

"When treating patients with complex vascular anatomy, it can be difficult to ensure access to the lesion site and to achieve proper dilatation. Thanks to Pantera Pro’s slim shoulder design and hydrophilic coating, even lesions affecting tight or challenging vessels may be more easily and reliably crossed," Dr. Juan Iglesias of University Hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland, said in prepared remarks.

Biotronik said more than 700 Pantera Pro interventions were performed in 13 countries, with physicians indicating that the device "performs better in 68% of cases than other semi-compliant balloons.”

“The first users of Pantera Pro have discovered this workhorse balloon demonstrates excellent pushability and crossability, even in tight lesions," vascular intervention vice president Alexander Uhl said in a statement. "Following in the footsteps of the Pantera Leo non-compliant and the Pantera Lux drug-coated balloons, the European launch of Pantera Pro establishes the Biotronik coronary balloon portfolio as the most competitive and versatile on the market."