Pioneering Medical Innovations

AccessClosure Announces Distribution Agreement for Radial Compression Band

Portfolio of Vascular Closure Devices Expanded with Addition of the Bengal™

Mountain View, California (September 29, 2010) – AccessClosure, Inc, the market leader in extravascular closure devices, announced today an exclusive agreement with Benrikal Services to distribute the Bengal Radial Compression Band in the United States. The Bengal, uniquely designed for transradial procedures, will join the Mynx™ Vascular Closure Device in AccessClosure’s portfolio of products.

“We felt that it was crucial to offer a solution for our customers who use the radial approach,” said Gregory D. Casciaro, President and CEO of AccessClosure. “As a customer‐focused company, we are striving to provide technologies for all approaches to access site management. The Bengal complements the key features of the Mynx, both of which were designed to minimize impact on the artery, to offer clinical versatility, and to deliver a comfortable experience for the patient. Including the Bengal in our closure portfolio allows AccessClosure to offer the same level of service and education to an even broader base of interventionalists.”

The Bengal was designed in partnership with radial pioneer Olivier F. Bertrand, MD, PhD, FSCAI, an Interventional Cardiologist at the Quebec Heart‐Lung Institute and Associate‐Professor, Faculty of Medicine, at Laval University. “I designed this device to address unmet needs in radial closure. I wanted a simple tool that achieves quick and effective hemostasis, while protecting the ulnar nerve and providing a comfortable experience for the patient,” said Dr. Bertrand. “I also wanted to simplify post‐operative care for my nursing staff: in my practice, the Bengal requires less monitoring time as it can be removed immediately at the end of the hemostasis period.”

Vascular closure devices help to close an artery after cardiovascular procedures. Interventional cardiologists may choose to access the coronary arteries through the radial artery in the wrist instead of the traditional approach using the groin. Use of the radial technique has increased in the United States in the past several years, due in part to the evolution of the technologies that enable the procedure.

The Bengal design offers a new approach to radial artery closure, combining a compression pad that delivers a unique pattern of targeted pressure with a soft polymer gel that ensures patient comfort while the band is on the wrist. “Our Canadian customers appreciate the simplicity and ease‐of‐use of this band,” said Guy Bélanger, President of Benrikal Services. “As transradialists grow increasingly focused on avoiding radial occlusion after procedures, we have observed a natural inclination to a device that is very easy to adjust and optimize.”

About Benrikal Services and the Bengal Band

Headquartered in St Bruno, Quebec, Benrikal Services is the developer of the Bengal Radial Compression Band and manages sales and distribution of the device outside of the United States. Initially commercialized in Canada, the Bengal is sold there under the name ComfortClose™.

About Vascular Closure

There are two methods of closing the femoral artery after cardiovascular procedures – manual compression and vascular closure devices. Manual compression entails up to 30 minutes of firm manual pressure applied directly to the access site, which is often painful for the patient, followed by many hours of bed rest in a hospital recovery room. Physicians frequently choose to use a vascular closure device (VCD) as an alternative to manual compression because it stops the bleeding more quickly, thereby allowing patients to leave the hospital earlier. However, despite the benefits of VCDs, many patients find that deployment of a VCD is extremely painful. The Mynx addresses this shortcoming by eliminating the tugging and cinching of the artery that occurs with other closure devices. The sealant is designed for gentle placement on top of the artery without the use of a suture or permanent metal implant.

About AccessClosure

Founded in 2002, AccessClosure, Inc. is a privately held medical device company pioneering innovative access site management products designed to provide a reliable, patient‐friendly vascular closure experience. For more information, visit our website at

http://www.accessclosure.com/