At Cook, our goal has always been to provide devices and services to support minimally invasive procedures for patients. That hasn’t changed. However, what has changed is the way we work toward that goal.
In November 2023, we announced an updated vision for the company. As we focus on the future, we’ve been adapting to industry changes, incorporating feedback from physicians, and finding ways to reliably deliver new products and services to customers. Here are three of the ways Cook is changing to treat more patients.
1. Entering into distribution agreements
Distribution agreements are a keyway Cook is evolving to accelerate our product pipeline and deliver a continuous stream of innovative products to treat more patients. As Cook continues to change in line with our vision, an integral part of the plan is fostering partnerships to diversify product offerings. So far in 2024, Cook has entered into three major distributed-by agreements.
- In March, Cook announced that we are partnering with Bentley to distribute their BeBack Catheter. This catheter complements Cook’s robust portfolio of above- and below-the-knee products. Cook and Bentley have a long history of collaboration, and this partnership represents another example of working together to advance patient care.
We also entered into an agreement with Getinge, a company based in Sweden, to distribute their iCast® covered stent system, which recently received premarket approval for treatment of symptomatic iliac arterial occlusive disease. This product fills the need of a covered stent in Cook’s Vascular portfolio. As Cook distributes iCast, Cook and Getinge continue to collaborate on the PRESERVE-Zenith® Branch Endovascular Graft-Iliac Bifurcation IDE study, which is studying the safety and effectiveness of Cook’s Zenith Branch Endovascular Graft-Iliac Bifurcation in combination with the iCast covered stent.
- Cook finalized a third distribution agreement with EnteraSense. Cook will be distributing EnteraSense’s PillSense product, a capsule that can accurately detect upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The sooner physicians can diagnose a bleed, the better chance a patient has of survival. Physicians can combine PillSense with Cook’s Hemospray and Instinct Plus products to both diagnose and treat gastrointestinal bleeds faster. Through this distribution partnership, we’re excited to expedite delivery of this unique product to healthcare providers.
2. Expanding indications on existing products
No need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes an existing product can be used in a new way, opening up more possibilities without starting from scratch. In fact, this is how minimally invasive medicine usually starts and how the Cook catalog of products originally grew: with products being used in different ways or in different specialties. 
Cook’s Liver Access and Biopsy Set (LABS) product has been available for years,—but it was only intended for use in adults. However, in an ongoing commitment to helping underserved patient populations, Cook Medical obtained FDA approval for a new pediatric indication for the shorter LABS.
“Our pediatric LABS has shorter versions of the original medical devices to more appropriately fit pediatric patients’ smaller bodies,” explained Remco van der Meel, director of product management for Cook’s Interventional specialty. “Now, LABS will help physicians diagnose an array of conditions in a wider variety of patients. It’s an extremely versatile set of products that can now treat even the smallest patients.”
3. Creating a supply chain fellowship
We launched the first-ever Supply Chain Fellowship program in 2023. This fellowship was a collaborative effort to enhance the transparency and efficiency of healthcare supply chains, and it also helped to funnel in new supply chain talent.
Cook determined that BJC Healthcare was an ideal partner for the first Supply Chain Fellowship. BJC Healthcare is a provider network with 14 hospitals and numerous clinics in the St. Louis area. Like Cook, BJC focuses on innovation and collaboration. Together, Cook and BJC Healthcare created the ideal project for the inaugural Supply Chain Fellow: a comprehensive supplier-provider supply chain study. As a result, the study identified seven ways other healthcare companies’ supply chains can benefit from what Cook learned. The results of the supply chain study were published in Healthcare Purchasing News.
Continuous improvement means continuous change
One of Cook’s values is Continuous Improvement. We’re proud to share these concrete ways we’re changing so we can better meet the needs of our customers. We’re connecting with physicians to understand what matters most to them and how we can rise to industry demands. To watch how we keep delivering on our promises and changing to become a trusted supplier, check our newsroom or follow us on social media on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.