Center Valley, Pa., and Hamburg, 06-10-2025 | Persbericht | Medische Systemen Olympus and W. L. Gore & Associates Enter into International Distribution Agreement to Expand the Olympus EndoTherapy Portfolio
Olympus Corporation, a global MedTech company committed to making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling, has entered into an international distribution agreement with the medical products business of U.S.-based W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. (hereinafter Gore), a global materials science company that develops innovative products across diverse industries. The agreement allows Olympus to become the exclusive international distributor and have distribution rights of the GORE® VIABIL® Biliary Endoprosthesis for endoscopic placement. Olympus will begin commercialization efforts over the coming months starting in Europe and phasing in other countries over time. The addition of the GORE® VIABIL® Biliary Endoprosthesis for endoscopic placement in the Olympus hepato-pancreato-biliary (HBP) portfolio will enable Olympus to expand its global presence in the rapidly growing gastrointestinal (GI) metal stent market.
GORE® VIABIL® Biliary Endoprosthesis for endoscopic placement
Gore and Olympus bring together both talent and technology, and this agreement presents opportunities to elevate the standard of care, as both companies share a history of delivering innovative interventional therapeutic products to improve outcomes for patients. With the addition of the GORE® VIABIL® Biliary Endoprosthesis for endoscopic placement to their existing portfolio of stents designed for the biliary tree, Olympus offers healthcare professionals and their patients a broad range of GI devices.
The GORE® VIABIL® Biliary Endoprosthesis for endoscopic placement is a fully covered self-expanding metal stent offering a differentiated alternative to relieve symptoms associated with biliary strictures.* An easy-to-use delivery system and non-foreshortening† design enables accurate deployment positioning. The GORE® VIABIL® Biliary Endoprosthesis for endoscopic placement features a nonporous ePTFE/FEP (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene/fluorinated ethylene propylene) lining that creates a strong, durable barrier, providing the advantage of a covered stent in the prevention of tumor ingrowth, without increasing the migration rate that is typically seen for covered stents.1,2,3,4
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Gore, a global leader in innovative technologies. The VIABIL stent is a critical device for GI patient care, and this agreement will complement our industry leading ERCP portfolio,” said Mike Callaghan, Global SVP/General Manager EndoTherapy for Olympus. “Olympus is committed to helping healthcare organizations and professionals deliver high quality care for their patients, and the relationship with Gore is an important step toward achieving that goal.”
“Gore is pleased to partner with Olympus. We strongly believe the demonstrated commercial prowess of Olympus’ EndoTherapy team will pair nicely with Gore’s medical device innovation expertise to better serve patients with unique solutions for many years to come,” said Jake Goble, Cardiac and Surgical Solutions Business Leader for Gore.
* Regional differences exist in intended use. Always consult the Instructions for Use for complete information on indications, contraindications, and relevant safety information in your region.
† If deployed as instructed, the endoprosthesis will not appreciably foreshorten.
References
1. Brown MA. Biliary Fully Covered Metal Stents: Systematic Review of the Clinical Literature. W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ; 2019. [Work plan]. WP111272. Attachment 1: Literature Appraisal for Viabil, Attachment 2: Literature Appraisal for Other Fully Covered Biliary Stents (FCBS), Attachment 3: Migration Rate Comparison.
2. Guzmán-Calderón GE, Chirinos J, Díaz-Arocutipa C, et al. Covered Versus Uncovered Metal Stents for the Drainage of the Malignant Distal Biliary Obstruction With ERCP: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology 2025;59(3):276-284.
3. Krokidis M, Fanelli F, Orgera G, et al. Percutaneous treatment of malignant jaundice due to extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: covered Viabil stent versus uncovered Wallstents. Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology 2010;33(1):97-106.
4. Krokidis M, Fanelli F, Orgera G, et al. Percutaneous palliation of pancreatic head cancer: randomized comparison of ePTFE/FEP-covered versus uncovered nitinol biliary stents. Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology 2011;34(2):352-361.
