CTSO and cardiac surgery

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2323205-cardiac-surgery-rapi…

Cardiac Surgery Rapidly Evolving As Substantial Opportunity For CytoSorbents

Summary
• Cardiac Surgery A New Major Focus for CytoSorbents.
• Additional Data Supports Use of CytoSorb in Cardiac Surgery.
• Expect Cardiac Surgery Will Be Initial U.S. Indication.

Cardiac Surgery A New Major Focus for CytoSorbents

CytoSorbents Corporation (OTCQB:CTSO) has developed their flagship product, CytoSorb, a sorbent-based cytokine filter, to treat a variety of critical care illnesses through the removal of cytokines and other toxins from the body. The company had an initial focus on sepsis as well as other indications such as respiratory distress syndrome and acute pancreatitis but has recently broadened their scope of potential applications including for use during cardiac surgery.

CytoSorb received CE Mark in March 2011 and launched in Europe towards the end of that year. The company methodically built a small, experienced sales team, began calling on key opinion leaders and built awareness of the device for intervention with critically ill patients. As awareness built and interest grew, sales began to climb - from just $36k in 2011, $152k in 2012, $822k in 2013 and $569k through just the first 3 months of 2014. We expect revenue growth with further benefit with broadening awareness of CytoSorb for use in cardiac surgery.

Cardiac surgery has quickly become an area of increasing interest for CytoSorb and one where the company is seeing greater demand for the device from hospitals and physicians in Europe. In fact, CytoSorbents just recently announced that a planned U.S. clinical trial for CytoSorb in sepsis is now expected to be done in cardiac surgery instead. This is now expected to be the initial approved indication for the device in the U.S.

Utility, interest and demand for CytoSorb in cardiac surgery appears to be gaining even more steam as case reports and clinical studies are indicating efficacious intervention and improved outcomes when CytoSorb was used in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. There are currently at least 11 investigator initiated studies using CytoSorb in Europe for cardiac surgery….

I have posted before that this companys product doesn’t seem to be living up to scientific merit. I would recommend it if you are looking for a quick profit and plan to get out. CTSO is repositioning itself by stating that cardiac surgery patients will benefit from its filter. They think that it may clean up IL-6 from their blood.

However, there are anti-IL-6 products approved and available on the market. Why not use one of those? Probably because IL-6 may not be an issue in the patients? So please be mindful.

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