Fueling Interventional Radiology Growth: SIR Foundation Announces Navilyst Medical Pledge

Corporate Funding of $500,000 Supports Major Fund-raising Initiative to Expand Minimally Invasive Medicine Into New Areas of Discovery

CHICAGO, March 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation's Discovery Campaign, which seeks to further the growth of minimally invasive medicine into new areas of discovery, announced a major corporate pledge to that initiative. Navilyst Medical, a provider of medical devices for vascular access and the diagnosis and treatment of vascular disease that is headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., has pledged $500,000 and was named a "Futurist" supporter.

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"This generous gift from Navilyst Medical is vital for the continued success of the SIR Foundation, which is committed to developing, evaluating and enhancing minimally invasive, image-guided treatments from inception to mature clinical application," said Gordon McLennan, M.D., FSIR, chair of the SIR Foundation board of directors and an interventional radiologist with the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. He added that funding will be used to support grants, research consensus panels, registries, studies addressing comparative effectiveness, clinical trials and educational programming. "Increasing support for cutting-edge research is one of the major priorities of the SIR Foundation, and we thank Navilyst Medical for coming forward to support us on this venture," he noted.

"As innovators, we are dedicated to supporting educational and research initiatives and developing technologies and programs to advance image-guided therapies," said Ron Sparks, Navilyst Medical's chair and chief executive officer. "Navilyst Medical is pleased to support the SIR Foundation in this worthy endeavor," he added.

The Discovery Campaign was launched initially in 2007 with an SIR membership phase. Last year marked the initiation of the campaign's outreach to the medical technology industry for support. For information about the Society of Interventional Radiology, a national organization of nearly 4,700 doctors, scientists and allied health professionals dedicated to improving health care through minimally invasive treatments, visit online at www.SIRweb.org.  For more information about the Discovery Campaign or to learn more about the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation, visit online at www.SIRFoundation.org.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation

SIR Foundation is a scientific foundation dedicated to fostering research and education in interventional radiology for the purposes of advancing scientific knowledge, increasing the number of skilled investigators in interventional radiology and developing innovative therapies that lead to improved patient care and quality of life. Visit www.SIRFoundation.org.

About Navilyst Medical

Navilyst Medical Inc., headquartered in Marlborough, MA, is a leading provider of medical devices for vascular access and the diagnosis and treatment of non-vascular and vascular disease. Its breakthrough devices which include PASV® Valve Technology, expanded line of Xcela® Power Injectable PICCs and world-leading NAMIC® Fluid Management products, help hospitals to achieve safe, favorable outcomes for patients. The Company distributes its products worldwide and has its lead U.S. manufacturing facility in Glens Falls, NY. For more information, please visit: www.navilystmedical.com.

SOURCE Society of Interventional Radiology