Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) announced the global launch of its Shockwave C2 Aero Coronary IVL Catheter for treating calcified coronary artery disease. The device is designed to improve deliverability, enhance lesion crossing and provide repositioning capabilities compared to previous versions.

The catheter uses intravascular lithotripsy technology that delivers ultrasonic acoustic pressure waves to crack hardened calcium deposits in coronary arteries. The C2 Aero features a more flexible shaft and balloon, a tapered tip with hydrophilic coating, and balloon material designed for compact deflation to allow repositioning within coronary anatomy.

Coronary artery disease affects an estimated 315 million people worldwide and approximately 1 in 20 adults over age 20 in the United States, according to the press release. The condition involves progressive buildup of cholesterol deposits that narrow blood vessels and can accumulate calcium over time, making treatment challenging with conventional techniques.

The device has a working length of 138 centimeters and features two emitters in an integrated balloon that can fire up to 120 pulses simultaneously, delivering up to 240 Shockwaves total. Each pulse creates pressure waves that pass through soft tissue to crack calcium deposits.

"The balloon rewrap capability of the Shockwave C2 Aero enables easier repositioning, allowing both proximal and distal movement within the vessel, as well as lesion recrossing when needed," said Benjamin Honton, an interventional cardiologist at Clinique Pasteur in Toulouse, France.

The Shockwave C2 Aero is currently available in the United States and Japan, with availability in Europe and Canada planned for coming months. Johnson & Johnson acquired Shockwave Medical and its intravascular lithotripsy technology platform.