Vascular Architects

About Vascular Architects

Vascular Architects Inc. was a medical device company established in 1997 by the notable device entrepreneur, Dr. Thomas Fogarty. The company was founded with the precise objective of improving the patency rate of blood vessels in patients suffering from peripheral vascular disease. Headquartered in San Jose, California, the firm focused on developing and manufacturing surgical products for the cardiovascular, surgical, and urology markets.

The company developed two main product platforms to treat peripheral vascular occlusive disease. One of its key products was a non-motorized Remote Endarterectomy (RE) debulking device, which was marketed in both the United States and Europe. This product line included a suite of six surgical and endovascular tools for the minimally invasive removal of plaque, particularly in the superficial femoral artery. Five of these tools were single-use, disposable, and patent-protected. The second platform featured a covered stent, the aSpire stent, designed to reduce the potential for intimal hyperplasia, a common cause of vessel reocclusion. A significant feature of this platform was its delivery system, which allowed interventionalists to visualize the stent's placement before its final deployment.

Throughout its operation, Vascular Architects successfully raised a total of $55 million over four funding rounds from nine institutional investors, including prominent names like Three Arch Partners, Medtronic, and Johnson & Johnson Innovation. The company's business model was centered on selling its devices directly to hospitals, primarily targeting peripheral vascular surgeons. In September 2007, LeMaitre Vascular acquired the business of Vascular Architects for $2.8 million. This acquisition included the remote endarterectomy devices and the aSpire stent, but not the company's manufacturing facilities.