Precision information enables precision interventions

Echopoint Medical Ltd (EML) is a medical device company focused on transforming precision diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. A spin-out from the University College London, we are translating breakthroughs in fibre optic sensor technology to address key unmet needs of patients, clinicians, and healthcare providers.

Coronary Artery Disease and Microvascular Dysfunction

Globally, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women and men. Many of these patients have narrowings or blockages of blood vessels in their heart that limit blood flow, which can lead to angina (chest pain) and myocardial infarctions (heart attacks).

Conventionally, many therapies for patients with cardiovascular disease have been targeted at prominent blockages in major blood vessels of the heart. However, these blockages are not present in a large fraction of patients who experience debilitating symptoms. There is rapidly growing recognition that coronary microvascular disease, which involves structural and functional disorders of the large network of smaller heart vessels, common in women and diabetic patients is of critical importance. However, coronary microvascular disease has been particularly challenging to diagnose in routine clinical practice, so that a large fraction of patients are underserved.

Echopoint Medical will address a key need: to provide concurrent pressure and flow measurements from inside the heart to significantly improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with coronary artery disease and coronary microvascular disease. It includes the highly miniaturised iKOSTM microcatheter comprising proprietary, next-generation fibre-optic sensor technology, which is fully compatible with current clinical practice.