Peytant Solutions Inc., a medical technology company pioneering the use of amnion-based covered scaffolds for the treatment of luminal disease, announces the appointment of Craig Walker, MD as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Walker, a globally recognized key opinion leader, joins Peytant Solutions with a distinguished combination of clinical practice, medical research, and product development experience and will oversee all current and future clinical applications of Peytant’s initial flagship product, the AMStent® Tracheobronchial Covered Stent System.
Dr. Walker is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and interventional cardiology. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American Society of Cardiovascular Interventionists, International College of Angiology, Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions, American College of Chest Physicians, and Council on Clinical Cardiology. He attended Nicholls State University on an academic scholarship and LSU Medical School in New Orleans. He completed a cardiology fellowship at Ochsner Foundation Hospital, where he was one of the first interventional fellows in the U.S. Dr. Walker subsequently performed a research fellowship at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Dr. Walker is the founder of New Cardiovascular Horizons, which provides multidisciplinary accredited conferences to advance the field of cardiovascular care.
“It is my honor to have Dr. Walker join our executive management team as our Chief Medical Officer. Over the past three decades, I have collaborated and innovated with Dr. Walker on interventional technologies that have improved patient care. He’s a dedicated and curious scientist, real-world physician, and successful entrepreneur with an unwavering commitment to improving medical care,” stated John Schorgl, Peytant Solutions’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
“The AMStent system is a first-of-its-kind stent with an amnion-based covering to treat bronchial obstructions. I am optimistic that it will improve outcomes in patients with bronchial obstructions. I look forward to objectively assessing outcomes in patients and further evaluating additional clinical applications,” said Dr. Walker.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted marketing authorization (clearance to market in the U.S. as a Class II device) for the AMStent® Tracheobronchial Covered Stent System in October 2024. The initial indication for the AMStent system is for use in the treatment of tracheobronchial strictures produced by malignant neoplasms in adult patients. The AMStent system is designed to treat pulmonary obstructions caused by cancer. In the U.S., lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, accounting for about one in five of all cancer deaths. Many patients with cancer in the lung develop malignant airway obstructions as the disease progresses. Palliative care is often pursued by increasing airflow in the trachea or tracheobronchial tree through dilation of the lumen. Once airflow is restored, it is routine to place airway stents in the passageway. The benefits of the AMStent system, as seen in validation data, include reduced migration, reduced local inflammation and granuloma formation, and reduced mucus accumulation and occlusion – so important to achieving the desired palliative relief for the patient.