Johnson & Johnson MedTech Debuts Shockwave Javelin IVL Catheter in Europe

Johnson & Johnson MedTech has launched its Shockwave Javelin peripheral IVL (intravascular lithotripsy) catheter in Europe.

The IVL platform is designed to modify calcium in extremely narrowed vessels to expand treatments for peripheral artery disease (PAD). It includes a catheter with a single lithotripsy emitter directly behind the device’s tip and has a similar safety and effectiveness profile to legacy Shockwave IVL catheters, the company said.

The Javelin Forward IVL platform modifies calcified occlusive disease or extremely narrowed lesions where a wire will cross but devices might not. Shockwave Javelin has a working length of 150 cm and has a single distal emitter that can provide 120 shock waves, spherical ultrasonic acoustic pressure waves, that extend beyond the catheter’s tip.

This design allows lithotripsy delivery closer to occlusive calcific lesions than a balloon-based platform could enable, J&J said.

“Previously, there were few reliable options for effective treatment of these uncrossable BTK vessels. The Javelin IVL catheter helps bridge a critical gap in the management of CLTI in patients with complex multi-level disease,” said Dr. Ashish Patel, consultant vascular and endovascular zurgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Reader in Vascular Surgery and Sciences at King’s College London in London, UK.

IVL is the energy-based generation of ultrasonic acoustic pressure waves for modification, fracture, and fragmentation of vascular calcification. Combined with Shockwave E8, Shockwave L6 & Shockwave M5+ IVL catheters, adding the Javelin IVL catheter offers a comprehensive IVL portfolio to treat challenging calcified lesions both above and below the knee.

“Shockwave is at the forefront of IVL technology, and we continue to address unmet physician needs,” said Nick West, M.D., chief medical officer of Shockwave Medical. “We developed our first-of-its-kind forward IVL platform through conversations with physicians, leveraging their valuable insights to develop a platform with the capability to modify calcium and cross extremely narrowed vessels. We are proud to set the standard in generating an expansive portfolio for endovascular interventionalists to address their unmet needs and move the goalposts of what’s expected from IVL technology in the reduction of risks associated with CLTI.”

The company acquired Shockwave Medical in May 2024 in a $13.1 billion deal.