Varian Wins FDA Nod for IntelliBlate Microwave Ablation

Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company, has gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its IntelliBlate microwave ablation system for soft tissue.

Microwave ablation delivers focused energy to localized disease sites to destroy soft tissue. It’s an important part of an extensive portfolio of cancer care options, Varian said.

IntelliBlate creates large, controlled, spherical ablation zones. It can use a single or dual probes that are both linked with independent controls. The system’s Ximitry probe allows features like Laser Disk Alignments and intuitive LED indicators, according to the company.

The system’s modular elements offer flexibility and it facilitates control over operational efficiency throughout ablation, Varian also said.

“IntelliBlate combines the features our customers say are most important for an efficient, integrated solution to seek improved levels of performance in microwave ablation,” said Dr. David Hahn, VP and chief medical officer, Varian Interventional Solutions. “This innovative system brings new versatility in treatment options, fueling clinician-driven innovation to tackle a wide variety of cases. Real-time monitoring and treatment information at the tissue level aim to further empower care teams with the confidence to deliver highly personalized care to patients.”

Varian collaborated with clinicians during IntelliBlate’s design and development. The company has future plans to connect intelligent therapeutic technologies and image-guided innovations. With these features, Varian hopes to achieve more predictable probe placement, treatment delivery, and procedural confirmation.

“I’m excited to see that the development collaboration between Varian and physicians resulted in the inclusion of much needed features intended to improve the intervention for clinicians and patients,” said Dr. Venkatesh (Kavi) Krishnasamy, Director of Interventional Oncology at University of Alabama Birmingham. “From their holistic design approach, it is clear they worked closely with clinicians when developing IntelliBlate to meet our daily needs. I look forward to the future integration of this Varian treatment delivery system and Siemens Healthineers imaging technology for continuous support from leading industry partners.”

Last week, Varian earned an FDA nod for new functionality to its Ethos radiotherapy system.