TORONTO, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conavi Medical Inc. (TSXV: CNVI) (OTCQB: CNVIF), a leader in hybrid intracoronary imaging technologies, is pleased to highlight the recent publication in The American Journal of Cardiology titled “Regional Disparities and Predictors of Intracoronary Imaging Use During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the United States”. This comprehensive analysis, based on over 1.8 million patient records, underscores both the underutilization and growing clinical importance of intracoronary imaging (ICI) during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).

The peer-reviewed article, authored by leading interventional cardiologists at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and other prominent U.S. institutions, found that ICI—including intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT)—significantly improves outcomes in PCI, yet remains underused, with only 13.5% of patients receiving image-guided PCI by 2020.

Importantly, the study highlights growing momentum for ICI adoption, driven in part by recent upgrades in international guidelines, including Class IA recommendations in the 2024 ESC and 2025 ACC/AHA guidelines for complex PCI cases.

“This research confirms what many in the field have long known—that intracoronary imaging is vital to delivering safe, effective interventions, especially in complex lesions,” said Thomas Looby, CEO  of Conavi Medical. “As the only commercial provider of a hybrid IVUS+OCT system, Conavi is well-positioned to support this clinical shift with our Novasight Hybrid System, which delivers co-registered IVUS and OCT imaging in real time.”

Conavi’s Novasight Hybrid System is designed to address many of the barriers to adoption identified in the article, including lack of technical training, procedural complexity, and imaging interpretation. By unifying IVUS and OCT in a single platform, Novasight can enable physicians to access the complementary strengths of both modalities—IVUS for plaque burden and sizing/placing stents and OCT for lesion morphology and assessing stent expansion —with a streamlined workflow.

“This landmark publication adds to the growing body of evidence in favour of image-guided PCI, and we are proud to be part of a global movement toward better, evidence-based coronary care,” added Mr. Looby.

Novasight Hybrid: Designed to Overcome Adoption Barriers

The journal article identifies key factors limiting the adoption of ICI—many of which Conavi Medical’s Novasight Hybrid System is designed to address:

• Clinical Inertia & Lack of Training: Recent guideline upgrades are expected to help overcome inertia. Novasight is uniquely positioned as an educational platform, delivering both IVUS and OCT simultaneously to help physicians train and build confidence in both modalities.
• Unfamiliarity with Technology & Complex Image Interpretation: Novasight simplifies ICI by delivering co-registered IVUS and OCT on a single screen. This reduces learning curves and enhances physician interpretation by providing complementary information—IVUS for vessel sizing and OCT for plaque and stent detail.
• Additional Instrumentation & Workflow Complexity: Novasight reduces procedural complexity by eliminating the need for separate IVUS and OCT systems and catheters, streamlining lab workflows and equipment demands.
• Procedure Time, Radiation & Contrast Concerns: Novasight offers IVUS-only imaging when needed, ideal for patients with renal insufficiency or when minimizing contrast is critical. The next-generation system is designed for procedural efficiency, with setup and use optimized for clinical practicality.
• Cost & Reimbursement Issues: In regions facing resource constraints, Novasight’s “one system, one catheter” approach presents a cost-effective and operationally streamlined alternative to using two separate imaging platforms.

To read the full study, visit: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2025.06.017

About Conavi Medical Corp.:

Conavi Medical is focused on designing, manufacturing, and marketing imaging technologies to guide common minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. Its patented Novasight Hybrid™ System is the first system to combine both intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to enable simultaneous and co-registered imaging of coronary arteries. The Novasight Hybrid System has 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; and regulatory approval for clinical use from Health Canada, China's National Medical Products Administration, and Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. For more information, visit conavi.com .

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