Ariste Medical Receives Issued U.S. Patent and Raises Seed Capital

MEMPHIS, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ariste Medical, Inc., announced today that a key patent has been issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The U.S. patent (#8,236,338) covers a formulation capable of coating polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and expanded PTFE, more commonly known as Teflon® and Gore-Tex®, respectively. The novel coating is capable of incorporating multiple pharmaceutical agents, enabling surgically implantable medical devices made from PTFE or ePTFE to also be used as drug-delivery devices. Ariste is presently developing a drug-eluting vascular graft for the prevention of restenosis-induced graft failure in hemodialysis patients.

“The unmet needs among the hemodialysis population are clearly defined, and we believe we can offer a positive impact”

Ariste has completed pre-clinical models demonstrating proof-of-concept using ePTFE grafts coated with rapamycin and has achieved a significant reduction in neointimal hyperplasia, or scarring within the graft. Ariste believes that its technology will help prevent graft failure in the hemodialysis setting, where failure is common and more than $1 billion dollars is incurred annually to reopen or repair vascular access sites so that patients can continue to receive dialysis treatment.

In addition, Ariste has raised $1.275 million in seed capital to advance the vascular graft program and to expand this technology to additional implantable devices made from PTFE or ePTFE.

“The issued patent was a critical step for Ariste. We are now focusing on expanding our intellectual property platform as we advance the drug-eluting graft through the regulatory process leading to a first-in-man study,” said Brian Best, CEO of Ariste. “The unmet needs among the hemodialysis population are clearly defined, and we believe we can offer a positive impact,” added Best.

About Ariste Medical

Ariste Medical, Inc. is a privately held biotechnology company developing novel, first-in-class, drug-eluting devices to reduce infection, restenosis, and thrombosis. Located in the Memphis Bioworks Foundation incubator within the UT-Baptist Research Park in Memphis, Tenn., the company is leveraging its unique formulation to transform legacy PTFE and ePTFE devices into drug-delivery systems that can counteract common and costly complications that accompany surgical procedures and use of implantable devices.