Endosonics breaks ground at new site

Intravascular ultrasound developer Endosonics broke ground thisweek on a new manufacturing facility in Rancho Cordova, CA. ThePleasanton, CA, vendor said that strong demand for its productsnecessitated the construction of the 44,000-square-foot facility,which will manufacture the company's Oracle and Five-64 catheters.Endosonics will continue to produce its current line of cathetersin Pleasanton.

In other news, Endosonics reported last month that its CardioVascularDynamics (CVD) subsidiary has signed an agreement with the vascularintervention group of Guidant to develop new perfusion angioplastycatheters. Guidant last year received an option for CVD's mechanicalangioplasty catheter (MAC) technology, and last month's agreementexercises that option.

As part of the deal, Guidant granted CVD exclusive rights tomarket Guidant's SmartNeedle products, which use Doppler ultrasound-guidedneedle technology to locate and access arteries and veins in patients.