This month we profile OvaScience, which has a new approach for treating infertility in older women, and Bluegrass Vascular, which offers an “inside-out” catheter for central venous access.

Central venous catheters are commonly employed to deliver long-term dialysis, nutrition and chemotherapy, but nearly 10% of patients have an upper-extremity venous occlusion that renders the vein impenetrable by standard access techniques. When access is not possible through traditional “outside-in” routes, Bluegrass Vascular Technologies’ Surfacer system allows for central venous access through the femoral vein in the leg. The device features a bullet-shaped catheter tip with a proprietary side-exit needle that allows the physician to enter into the occlusion and create a new tissue channel, from the inside out.

This Month's Profile Group, Vaccine Investment Gets A Shot In The Arm, features profiles of Genocea Biosciences, Imaxio, Selecta Biosciences and TremRx. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: Bluegrass Vascular Technologies, Haldor Advanced Technologies and Targovax.

Central venous access continues to be linked to an abnormally high risk of serious and life-threatening complications. Unintended damage to major organs results from the “blind” placement of a hollow needle through the patient’s skin and into the target vein. Vascular Access Technologies Inc. hopes to reduce complications with SAFECVAD, a novel steerable catheter that uses the femoral vein as its point of entry. It is observed under fluoroscopy as it follows a simple guided path to the jugular or subclavian vein, where it makes a visible “inside-out” exit at the exact desired location for central line catheter placement.