TriReme Medical, Inc. (TriReme) announced that it has signed an exclusive distribution and sales agreement for TriReme's complete line of advanced peripheral and coronary balloon dilatation catheters with Century Medical, Inc. (CMI), a leading independent device distributor for the important Japanese market.

TriReme recently received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the GliderXtreme PTA balloon catheter, a highly differentiated balloon catheter with an expanded matrix of sizes including longer balloon lengths, an atraumatic tapered tip and shaft construction reinforced for torque transmission and exceptional pushability.  GliderXtreme is designed to cross difficult and highly diseased lesions to restore blood flow in the complex peripheral anatomy. TriReme's coronary version of this product, known as the Glider PTCA balloon catheter is a state-of-the-art catheter designed to overcome the limitations of conventional balloon catheters in treating complex disease by improving torque and push transmission. The combined PTCA & PTA balloon markets represent more than a $400 million catheter device revenue opportunity in Japan.

"CMI's long and successful history of obtaining timely regulatory approvals , launching new products , building strong dedicated sales and marketing teams and rapidly expanding market share makes it an ideal partner for us in Japan," Dr Eitan Konstantino, president and CEO of TriReme said. "This agreement is a critical step in the realization of our Asian strategy. We look forward to working with CMI to develop this important market and to move market adoption to TriReme's line of product."

Akira Hoshino, president and CEO of CMI, commented that, "We are very pleased to have entered into this long-term distribution agreement with TriReme.  TriReme has proven itself quite capable of creating advanced, innovative products to fill significant unmet needs in rapidly expanding medical device markets.  We are very impressed with TriReme's catheter products and development capabilities.  We look forward to working closely with TriReme."  

Based in Pleasanton, CA and Singapore, TriReme Medical, Inc., is a privately held medical device company dedicated to the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of advanced therapeutic solutions for the treatment of complex vascular disease.  

Based in Tokyo, Japan, Century Medical, Inc. is a $140 million subsidiary company of ITOCHU Corporation (TSE: ITC) a $115 billion international trading company.  Century Medical, Inc., with approx. 300 employees, has a 36 year experience specializing in the importation; sale and marketing of advanced single use and implantable medical devices.