Cook's Zenith Branch Endovascular Graft Receives CE Mark Approval.

New Device is First-of-its-Kind for Internal Iliac Aneurysm Repair Without Blocking Blood Flow Through the Iliac Artery 

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- William Cook Australia, a global leader in endovascular therapy products, has taken another major step forward in the treatment of complex aortic aneurysms. The Zenith Branch Endovascular Graft, a new product using Cook's groundbreaking Zenith anchored endograft technology, has received CE Marking approval in Europe, allowing its distribution in the European Union and other countries that recognize the CE Mark.

The Zenith Branch Graft is the world's only endovascular graft specifically designed to treat aortic aneurysms while preserving blood flow to the internal iliac artery. This milestone is a further example of Cook's unmatched commitment to providing physicians with the industry's only comprehensive set of endografts and accessories for treating aneurysms and other disorders along the entire length of the aorta.

"As many as one in five patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms also present with iliac aneurysms. The Zenith Branch Endovascular Graft brings cutting-edge clinical developments to a cohort of patients who may not have otherwise been candidates for iliac aneurysm repair," said Barry Thomas, global leader of Cook's endovascular therapy products division. "We expect the Zenith Branch Graft to provide an important clinical option to European physicians treating aneurysm patients who cannot be treated using standard, off-the-shelf endograft components. We hope to make this exciting technology available in the U.S. in the very near future."

Used in conjunction with the proven Zenith AAA Graft and Zenith Iliac Leg Grafts, the Zenith branch graft allows treatment of the iliac aneurysm without the need for iliac embolization. By preserving the blood flow to the iliac artery, the graft reduces the potential for blockage-related problems.

The Zenith Branch Endovascular Graft is an investigational device not approved for sale in the U.S.

About Cook

The world's largest privately held manufacturer of medical devices with international headquarters in Bloomington, Ind., COOK[R] (www.cookmedical.com) is a leading designer, manufacturer and global distributor of minimally invasive medical device technology for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Since its founding in 1963, Cook has created innovative technologies for drug-eluting and bare metal stents, aortic and vascular endografts, catheters, wire guides, introducer needles and sheaths, embolization coils, medical biomaterials and contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, vena cava filters and other minimally invasive medical devices for radiology, cardiology, urology and women's health, critical care medicine, surgery, gastroenterology, bone access and endovascular therapies.