CreatiVasc sees the absence of significant innovation in the vascular access field as an opportunity not only to bring new breakthrough inventions to the market – but to improve the quality of life of dialysis patients who face multiple, repetitive complications with existing procedures and devices. Every patient about to begin dialysis mut undergo one of three interventional surgeries which allow them to be connected to a dialysis machine 3 times per week. The three major vascular access methods each bring their own collection of potential complications:

Catheters: High infection rates (endocarditis, bacteremia), venous stenosis, clotting

AV fistulas: While this is the preferred "natural" hemoaccess method, it also poses challenges, such as difficulty locating cannulation site, inability to mature and be used for dialysis, the pain and damage from missed sticks, excessive post-dialysis bleeding

AV grafts: clotting, “blood steal” from surrounding tissue, pseudoaneurysms, thrombosis, excessive post-dialysis bleeding. In a major study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in May 2009, only 23% of AV grafts functioned without some form of interventional procedure after only one year of use.

Kidney transplants? The 2008 Annual Report from the U.S. Renal Data System indicates that kidney transplants have not made significant inroads for ESRD patients due to the problems of availability, rejection and cost (only 18,000 kidney transplants are performed annually in the U.S.).

CreatiVasc believes there is a major opportunity to address the vascular access complications above and the company’s innovation strategy is to singularly focus on maturing devices that demonstrate an ability to significantly reduce or alleviate the problems that drive both vascular access costs and mortality rates up, and severely compromise dialysis patients’ quality of life.

CreatiVasc has adopted a “launch pad” strategy where a lineup of new products are being developed, validated, and launched into the market, either directly from CreatiVasc or through strategic relationships with leading partners in the hemodialysis field. While individual devices or products may be divested from time to time, the launch pad will continue to operate – preparing the next innovation for market entry.