Olympus has reached an agreement with Endocision Technologies to becomes the exclusive global distributor of the Canadian company’s Celsio cryocatheter for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in bronchoscopic procedures.
Expanding the Japanese medtech company’s commercial respiratory portfolio, which already includes endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) systems, Endocision’s cryocatheter is designed for clinical applications including transbronchial cryobiopsy for tissue acquisition, cryoextraction of foreign bodies such as blood clots, and endobronchial tumour debulking and airway recanalisation procedures. The device works by freezing target tissue or foreign bodies.
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Under the distribution agreement, Olympus and Endocision plan to initiate the cryocatheter’s commercial launch in the US, Canada, and Europe early next year.
Seiji Kuramoto, executive officer and surgical and interventional solutions division head at Olympus, commented “This agreement with Endocision highlights Olympus’ commitment to strengthening our respiratory solutions that range from peripheral bronchoscopy and radial EBUS to single-use bronchoscopes that provide the right scope in the right situation.
“Our collaboration brings together Olympus’ expertise in ultrasound technology and Endocision’s innovative approach to cryotechnology to help support better patient outcomes.”
With a portable design that does not require an electric source or large CO2 tanks to operate, Endocision anticipates that the distribution agreement for its system, which obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in September 2024, will expand access to cryobiopsy and cryoextraction across bronchoscopy suites, ICUs, operating rooms, and emergency departments.
In cryobiopsy, the use of cryocatheters has been demonstrated to improve the rate of diagnostic yield for peripheral pulmonary lesions (PPLs) regarding endobronchial tumours and interstitial lung diseases, serving to improve diagnostic rates by 8.6%.
Endocision’s president and CMO, Dr Moishe Liberman, commented: “We’re excited to introduce the next generation of cryocatheter systems and partner with Olympus to help advance the field of interventional pulmonology and interventional thoracic endoscopy.
“The Endocision cryocatheter system is designed to support a wide range of bronchoscopic applications, from tissue acquisition to therapeutic airway intervention, while also making cryotechnology accessible across multiple clinical settings.”
Endocision completed the first human clinical cases with its cryocatheter at hospitals in Quebec in July 2026, demonstrating the system’s ability to navigate the bronchial tree and deliver controlled cryogenic interventions for various cryoadhesion, cryoextraction and cryodevitalisation indications.
