Johnson & Johnson reported a 93.6% technical success rate in 30-day results from its FORWARD CAD study of the experimental Shockwave Javelin catheter. The results also showed that 93.4% of patients were free from major adverse cardiovascular events after 30 days. The data were presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2026 conference.
The investigational catheter is designed to treat severely calcified, narrowed coronary arteries that are difficult to access. It uses intravascular lithotripsy (IVL), which delivers sonic pressure waves to fracture hardened calcium deposits before a stent is placed. The trial involved 158 patients with complex blockages.