Route 92 Medical has announced in a press release that its dispute with Q’Apel Medical “has been resolved”. Route 92 initially filed suit against Q’Apel in the US District Court for the district of Delaware in October 2024, alleging infringement of five US patents protecting its portfolio of Tenzing delivery catheters by the latter’s Hippo aspiration system and Cheetah delivery tool.
Q’Apel has now removed its Hippo-Cheetah product from the market permanently—a decision that, as per a separate press release from Q’Apel, was part of a “strategic shift toward newer technologies” following a voluntary recall of 1,617 device units earlier this year.
“We are pleased with the resolution of this litigation,” said Tony Chou, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Route 92. “With more than 140 patents protecting our innovations worldwide, and numerous studies showing the best-in-class performance of our Tenzing-powered neurovascular intervention solutions, we remain committed to vigorously defending our intellectual property position should companies seek to replicate our products.”
Tenzing delivery catheters—first used clinically in 2019—are protected by a global portfolio of patents including 26 in the USA.
Route 92 claims that these catheters offer a unique, tapered tip designed to significantly reduce ledge effect and provide atraumatic tracking in the neurovasculature, enabling consistent navigation to reach targeted locations in the brain without the use of a guidewire. According to the company, its Tenzing delivery catheters are available in three sizes, and are designed to be delivered together with Route 92’s HiPoint and FreeClimb catheters as part of “seamless” systems, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of neurovascular procedures.
These devices have been evaluated in 10 independent, peer-reviewed studies across multiple vessel sizes and device lengths to date, Route 92’s release also notes.
