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Newsroom
September 11th, 2025

Cook Medical receives Legacy Supplier Award from Premier, Inc.


Cook Medical’s Syfonix® Suction Ureteral Access Sheath and the new 7.5 Fr Ascend™ Single-Use Flexible Ureteroscope are now available

Key highlights

Cook Medical’s Syfonix® Suction Ureteral Access Sheath

Bloomington, Ind. — Cook Medical today announced the commercial launch of two products from its Urology specialty. The Syfonix® Suction Ureteral Access Sheath and the 7.5 Fr Ascend™ Single-Use Flexible Ureteroscope are available in the United States and Canada.

Syfonix is designed to give physicians fingertip control of suction during ureteroscopic kidney stone management procedures. With inner diameter ranges from 9 Fr to 12 Fr, the sheath establishes a working channel to facilitate the passage of endoscopes and ancillary instruments into the urinary tract. It is a single-use device.

Additionally, the Ascend Single-Use Flexible Ureteroscope is now available in a new 7.5 Fr size in addition to the 8.6 Fr size Cook has been offering. As Cook’s pipeline of products includes more products and more sizes, physicians are empowered to treat patients with more precision.

Cook Medical’s Ascend™ Single-Use Flexible Ureteroscope in 7.5Fr

Syfonix and Ascend are compatible products for stone management procedures. Together, these two products are part of Cook Medical’s full portfolio of urological disposables. Cook is proud to be a trusted source for a full line of disposables and the latest laser technology for urological healthcare providers. Having a complete portfolio provides a smoother customer experience for ordering products, especially for customers on contract. To learn more about Cook’s complete stone management portfolio, visit Cook Medical’s Urology specialty page.

Quotes

“Suction sheaths are a critical part of improving stone management procedures. Syfonix gives physicians seamless control of suction without having to break focus or rely on additional staff,” said Johan Lowinger, director of global product management for Urology at Cook Medical. “With the Syfonix sheath now available with the Ascend 7.5 Fr flexible ureteroscope, we’re excited to offer a solution that reflects direct feedback from the urology community.”

“Suction sheaths are one of the newest tools urologists have to help ensure patients get stone-free in a minimally invasive manner. Now that we have added Syfonix to our product portfolio, along with continuing to expand our Vision offering with the addition of the Ascend 7.5 Fr Ureteroscope, we’re giving physicians a full line of products to customize their treatment plan to the specific patient they’re treating. Commercializing these products in the US and Canada is an important milestone for Cook as we work alongside our clinical partners to further advance treatments in stone management,” said Shayna Martin, director of sales for Cook Medical’s Urology specialty.

About Cook Medical

At Cook Medical, we are passionate about making unique, quality medical devices and connecting with people to improve lives. Founded on inventing, manufacturing, and delivering medical devices, we provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to help their patients return to living.

Our commitment to innovation involves bringing new products to market and keeping existing products relevant to a changing healthcare landscape. We believe in using our business to help people and communities thrive by creating inclusive, supportive, and healthy environments.

We are proud of our history of innovative firsts and the impact we have on patients and communities. With headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, and manufacturing facilities and offices in various global locations, we challenge ourselves to maintain a global perspective while focusing on local impact.

Follow Cook Medical at CookMedical.com and on LinkedIn. 

Key takeaways: 

Bloomington, Ind. — Cook Medical has selected Indiana University as one of the first Interventional MRI (iMRI) Centers of Excellence. The collaboration is designed to accelerate the advancement, validation, and clinical integration of innovative MRI‑guided technologies and make certain medical procedures safer, more precise, and less invasive for patients. 

From left to right, Sean Chambers, Director of Research and Development at Cook Medical; David Rosenberg, President and CEO of IU LAB; and Rohan Dharmakumar, Executive Director of the Medical Imaging Research Institute pose for a photo in the iMRI suite. The photo was taken at IU Indianapolis on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Photo by Liz Kaye/Indiana University)

The Center of Excellence builds on a five‑year agreement announced in 2025 between Cook Medical and the Indiana University Launch Accelerator for Biosciences (IU LAB) to translate IU research into real‑world health care applications. The collaboration underscores Cook’s broader focus on innovation. 

What is the Interventional MRI (iMRI) Center of Excellence? 

The iMRI Center of Excellence is a coordinated model that combines device engineering, imaging science, and clinical research infrastructure to speed the development and adoption of MRI‑guided technologies in hospitals and health systems. This practice allows doctors to treat patients without radiation risk while seeing soft tissues in greater detail, enabling more precise and potentially safer interventions. 

A blueprint for radiation-free intervention 

Indiana University will serve as the model site demonstrating the pathway for translating iMRI into future clinical practice. The university will create a working, real-world environment that hospitals and health systems can tour, learn from, and replicate as MRI-guided care grows in Indiana and beyond. The site will also support physician training and knowledge‑sharing as adoption expands, while helping prepare a new generation of iMRI technologists and clinical staff needed to support MRI-guided procedures nationwide.  

“This Center of Excellence allows Indiana University to capitalize on our research strengths and convert them into real change for patients,” said David Rosenberg, president and CEO of IU LAB. “By bringing engineers, imaging experts, and the clinical excellence of the IU School of Medicine together in one place, we can move promising MRI-guided care ideas out of the lab and into hospitals more quickly – all in service of our goal to help patients benefit from safer, radiation-free procedures.”  

“Indiana University School of Medicine is committed to making innovations that improve patient care,” said Jay L. Hess, MD, PhD, MHSA, dean of the Indiana University School of Medicine and executive vice president for university clinical affairs at Indiana University. “This partnership with Cook Medical combines world-class imaging, engineering expertise and clinical leadership. Through creating the iMRI Center of Excellence, we can accelerate the development of safer, more effective treatments for patients in Indiana and around the world.” 

“We’re excited to name Indiana University as one of the first Centers of Excellence,” said Pete Polverini, vice president, interventional MRI division, Cook Medical. “Our mission for iMRI is bold: to enable safer, more precise, and more effective procedures using interventional MRI, and this collaboration reflects Cook’s accelerated approach to innovation and moving more quickly to bring our new ideas to patients. 

Two complementary initiatives: engineering innovation + clinical integration

Ghazal Yoosefian, a Research Assistant at the Medical Imaging Research Institute of the IU School of Medicine, is collaborating with Yanni Pandelidis from Cook Medical in the lab. This photo was taken at IU Indianapolis on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (Photo by Liz Kaye/Indiana University)

Indiana University and Cook Medical have launched two complementary initiatives spanning the full continuum of iMRI innovation, from advanced engineering of MRI‑visible devices to radiology and imaging research within the IU School of Medicine. 

Together, these initiatives connect engineers, imaging experts and physicians into one interdisciplinary system which accelerates translational research while positioning both organizations at the forefront of precision medicine.  


 About Cook Medical 

At Cook Medical, we are passionate about making unique, quality medical devices and connecting with people to improve lives. Founded on inventing, manufacturing, and delivering medical devices, we provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to help their patients return to living.  

Our commitment to innovation involves bringing new products to market and keeping existing products relevant to a changing healthcare landscape. We believe in using our business to help people and communities thrive by creating inclusive, supportive, and healthy environments.  

We are proud of our history of innovative firsts and the impact we have on patients and communities. With headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, and manufacturing facilities and offices in various global locations, we challenge ourselves to maintain a global perspective while focusing on local impact.  

Follow Cook Medical at CookMedical.com and on LinkedIn. 

 

About Indiana University 

Indiana University is one of the nation’s leading public research universities, with nearly 90,000 students across seven campuses, two regional academic centers and nine School of Medicine campuses. Since 1820, Indiana University has helped students create brighter futures, while also driving innovation, from breakthroughs in DNA technology to cancer research to trailblazing cultural programs and resources. IU is home to world-class academics with the country’s largest medical school, the world’s first school of philanthropy, the top-ranked Kelley School of Business and O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, the nation’s first school of informatics. The university’s campuses are united by IU 2030, an aspirational vision for a bold and ambitious future focused on student success and opportunity, transformative research and creativity, and service to the state of Indiana and beyond. Learn more at iu.edu. 


FAQs  

Q: What did Cook Medical and Indiana University announce?
A: They established Cook Medical’s first Interventional MRI (iMRI) Center of Excellence at Indiana University to accelerate the development and clinical adoption of MRI‑guided technologies.  

Q: What is the purpose of the iMRI Center of Excellence?
A: To build a vertically integrated pipeline spanning engineering, imaging science, and clinical medicine—supporting validation, clinical integration, and translation of MRI‑guided technologies into real workflows. 

Q: What are the two initiatives included?
A: The FAMES–Cook engineering initiative and the Interventional MRI Center of Excellence clinical research infrastructure initiative at the IU School of MedicineMedical Imaging Research Institute. 

 

 

Cook Medical’s latest two Endoscopy products are designed to enhance GI procedures

Key highlights

Bloomington, Ind. — Cook Medical has launched two new products within its Endoscopy specialty. The two products, the Cold AcuSnare® Polypectomy Snare and the Caesar® Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps, are both designed to make GI procedures easier for clinicians. The Cold AcuSnare Polypectomy Snare and the Caesar Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps, are now available in the U.S. and Canada. The Cold AcuSnare is also available in direct markets in Europe.

In addition to the products’ functional benefits, these products make Cook Medical’s Endoscopy portfolio of products more complete. Healthcare organizations ordering these products may be able to get them at a lower cost, as they can order all their endoscopy-related devices from a single vendor.

Quotes

“We like the challenge of balancing a full portfolio with incremental clinical value. The design features of these two new devices, including bi-directional rotatability and hybrid jaws, are tailored to enhance procedural accuracy and ease of use in complex endoscopic interventions.”

–Ben Bailey, director of product management for Cook Medical’s Endoscopy specialty

“By expanding our Endoscopy portfolio, we are empowering clinicians with more features, more treatment options and more economic benefits through comprehensive product offerings. We are excited to share our full pipeline of innovative products.”

–DJ Sirota, senior vice president of Cook Medical’s MedSurg division

About Cold AcuSnare Polypectomy Snare

Cook Medical’s Cold AcuSnare® Polypectomy Snare

For endoscopic resection of diminutive and small polyps in the gastrointestinal tract, use Cook Medical’s Cold AcuSnare product. The Cold AcuSnare Polypectomy Snare—unlike other snares on the market that use diathermic energy to cut endoscopic polyps—is a cold snare, which does not require cauterization to resect the polyps.

There have been recent shifts in clinical guidelines regarding the use of snares. ASGE and ESGE guidelines now recommend cold snaring techniques (without diathermic energy) for all polyps less than 10 mm. Cold snaring shows lower rates of delayed bleeding as compared to hot snaring for polypectomies and mucosal resections.

Among cold snares from other major manufacturers, Cook Medical’s Cold AcuSnare stands out because of its rotatability. The product has 1:1 rotatability so that clinicians can accurately target polyps and perform polyp resection in a precise manner.

About Caesar Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps

Cook Medical’s Caesar® Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps

Cook Medical’s new Caesar Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps are used to remove tissue, stones, stents or foreign bodies during endoscopic procedures and offer the added benefit of two types of jaws: alligator and rat tooth. The jaws’ different shapes allow healthcare professionals to grasp different types and shapes of tissues, stones and foreign bodies successfully. The product also has bi-directional rotatability, which makes it easier to grasp and manipulate tissues, stones and foreign bodies.

The Caesar Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps can be used for many types of procedures and are an excellent complementary product for repeated GI procedures for removal of pre-placed plastic stent.

FAQs

What is the Cold AcuSnare Polypectomy Snare?

The Cold AcuSnare Polypectomy Snare is intended to be used without diathermic energy, or cauterization, for the endoscopy resection of diminutive and small polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. The snare can be used on polyps less than 10 mm, which are recommended to be removed without cauterization by medical societies (ASGE and ESGE). As part of Cook’s tissue management portfolio, this snare help clinicians identify and focus on the correct tissue to manage and delineate between healthy and diseased tissue.

What are the Caesar Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps?

These rotating forceps are used in combination with an endoscope to remove tissue, stones, stents or foreign bodies from the digestive tract. The combination of the alligator grasping strength and rat tooth jaw design optimizes grip strength and helps clinicians retrieve even difficult-to-grasp foreign objects. These forceps are also part of Cook’s tissue management portfolio and help clinicians acquire and obtain targeted tissues or stones, stents or foreign bodies.

What does the addition of these products mean for Cook’s Endoscopy portfolio?

Both products make Cook’s Endoscopy portfolio more robust, especially for GI procedures. Having a more complete portfolio is also an economic advantage and offers more savings to customers that have contracts for Endoscopy products.

How can I learn more about using the Cold AcuSnare Polypectomy Snare and the Caesar Alligator Rat Tooth Grasping Forceps in my practice?

Contact your local Cook Medical representative to learn more about trying these products in your practice.

About Cook Medical

At Cook Medical, we are passionate about making unique, quality medical devices and connecting with people to improve lives. Founded on inventing, manufacturing and delivering medical devices, we provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to help their patients return to living.

Our commitment to innovation involves bringing new products to market and keeping existing products relevant to a changing healthcare landscape. We believe in using our business to help people and communities thrive by creating inclusive, supportive and healthy environments.

We are proud of our history of innovative firsts and the impact we have on patients and communities. With headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, and manufacturing facilities and offices in various global locations, we challenge ourselves to maintain a global perspective while focusing on local impact.

Follow Cook Medical at CookMedical.com and on LinkedIn.

This article is part of our Ask the CMO series, where Cook Medical’s chief medical officer, Dr. John Kaufman, answers questions. Learn more about Dr. Kaufman in his Meet Our Leaders bio. 

Q: You have worked with many other medical device companies and many people in the industry, such as sales reps, trainers, product managers, and regulatory scientists. From a physician’s perspective, how did Cook differentiate itself? 

Dr. Kaufman: The reason that I was so excited to join Cook is that for my entire career I always felt that anyone that I worked with from Cook is more of a partner with aligned interests toward doing the best thing for the patient than a transactional relationship. I’ve never felt with Cook that there was a pressure to use something that somebody needed to fill a quota for or convince me to switch to something. It was never that way. It is always with Cook that I felt aligned, to the extent that I could trust anyone from Cook to say, “We don’t have the thing you are looking for, but this other company does.” When I first then began investigating or meeting people as potentially becoming part of Cook that culture was very clear.

What is different about Cook is that, although that culture may be present at other companies, it is such a strong presence throughout all of Cook. There is a shared alignment of goals between those of us who are taking care of people and trying to do the best thing for the person in front of us regardless of other factors. Overall, that is how Cook operates.

Obviously, we are a company, we have to somehow make enough money to stay afloat and make enough money to take care of the people who work for us as well. So, decisions can’t always be purely altruistic. We do have to make some of those decisions, but that is always in the framework of is this really the right thing to do, not just for us but for the patients of physicians.

What is an area that could potentially be improved on?

What could we do better? I think everyone has a different answer based on their own perspective, and as Cook customer it would be great if we could get new or updated devices through the pipeline and into clinical practice as fast as possible. We have so much fantastic stuff in the wings and I want it now! On a serious note, we also need to focus on preserving our unique culture and relationships with physicians as we navigate the complex and highly regulated world that we now operate in. These two things have been drivers for Cook from the beginning and are in a sense timeless.

 

This article is part of our Ask the CMO series, where Cook Medical’s chief medical officer, Dr. John Kaufman, answers questions. Learn more about Dr. Kaufman in his Meet Our Leaders bio. 

Q: How do you balance your connection with Cook with what is the best option or device for your patient? 

Dr. Kaufman: I do love working for Cook. It is one of the best things that has ever happened to me professionally, if not the best thing. And I also love taking care of patients and I so appreciate the ability to do both things at the same time. It is not a thing I take for granted at all, but it is an incredible privilege.

The culture at Cook and the culture of medicine are very similar: You do what is best for the patient in front of you.

Don’t do what is best for you or what might be best for your friend or the company you work for or the hospital you are working for or the professional organization that you are a member of. You do what is right for the person in front of you and that guides you all the time. 

That prevents really any issue from arising of, “Should I be using a Cook catheter or a non-Cook catheter?” Cook catheters are the best catheters — they just are. So, I don’t have any qualms about using what I think is the best device. There are other devices that other people do better than us and I will use them because I think it is the right thing. I’m glad that it is evident that I am excited to work for Cook as it is an awesome group of people and an awesome organization. 

 

Cook Medical has announced a new partnership with Mixxer Community Makerspace to bring more opportunities, more creativity, and more “I-can’t-believe-I-built-this” moments for people across the Triad.

Through the new partnership, Cook will provide the resources to welcome even more creators to the Mixxer space. The collaboration will expand the lineup of affordable workshops—from woodworking and welding to 3D printing, electronics, textiles, and screen printing—each paired with expert, hands-on guidance.

“Since our founding, we’ve been driven by invention and strengthened by connection,” said Tamisha Clark, vice president and general manager at Cook Medical’s Winston-Salem facility. “We believe innovation flourishes when everyone has a seat at the workbench, and that’s exactly what the Mixxer Community Makerspace does.”

“We’re turning ‘I built this!’ moments into real, career-ready skills—right here in the Triad—thanks to Cook Medical,” explained Elaine Lamson, executive director of Mixxer Community Makerspace. “Their support has made programs like Robotics and our first-ever Statewide Robotics Battle possible. By creating a space where participants can design, build, program, and battle robots, we’re filling a critical local gap and teaching skills in design, fabrication, electrical engineering, programming, and more—all in a fun, hands-on way. With Cook’s help, we’re empowering the next generation of innovators to build, create, and lead—right here at home.”

Why this partnership matters:
Hands-on classes at Mixxer give participants real-world experience in design, fabrication, and problem-solving, building practical skills that stick with them for life. Because workshops are intentionally affordable, the partnership turns equitable access into action, offering top-tier tools and training to anyone with an idea and the curiosity to chase it. By nurturing creativity and entrepreneurship, Mixxer strengthens Winston-Salem’s talent pipeline, fuels workforce readiness, and ultimately drives local economic growth.

How to jump in:
You can become a member, drop in for a class, volunteer your time or expertise, or simply spread the word. Community members can explore all the options at wsmixxer.org.

Cook Medical and Siemens Healthineers today announced a strategic commercial partnership aimed at setting a new standard for interventional medicine. The collaboration combines the power of Siemens Healthineers real-time magnetic resonance imaging with Cook Medical’s deep interventional procedure expertise, along with new medical devices developed by Cook specifically for the MRI environment. Together, the companies are creating the Interventional MRI (iMRI) Suite1, the first integrated, ionizing radiation-free solution intended to transform how clinicians diagnose, plan and perform minimally invasive procedures.

“MRI in the interventional suite has always been a concept with tremendous clinical potential, but it has also faced significant barriers. At Siemens Healthineers, we are committed to breaking those barriers to unlock new clinical opportunities and advance patient care. Together with Cook Medical, we’re leading the way into a new era where iMRI becomes a precise radiation-free standard of care,” said Andreas Schneck, head of Magnetic Resonance at Siemens Healthineers.

By leveraging MRI’s unparalleled soft tissue contrast, iMRI enables precise guidance for minimally invasive interventions, particularly in areas such as interventional oncology for soft tissue tumors, pediatrics, and structural heart procedures, where accuracy and safety are paramount. This approach allows clinicians to navigate complex procedures with confidence while eliminating exposure to ionizing radiation for both patients and healthcare teams.

This first-of-its-kind collaboration delivers a turn-key solution designed to accelerate iMRI adoption and advance clinical impact in interventional radiology. It encompasses suite planning, an MRI scanner designed for interventions1, MRI-specific medical devices, specialized training, and ongoing clinical support. Cook Medical brings extensive procedural knowledge, innovative device design, and comprehensive educational programs, while Siemens Healthineers contributes its world-class MR imaging technologies and services, including dedicated interventional planning software.

 The integrated iMRI suite reflects a shared commitment to innovation and collaboration, offering clinicians a complete framework, from conceptual suite design to staff training, to enable the adoption of this transformative technology for enhanced patient care.

“Our partnership with Siemens Healthineers is about more than device integration; it’s about revolutionizing interventional procedures,” said Peter Polverini, vice president of Cook Medical’s iMRI Division. “By merging the top-tier MRI systems of Siemens Healthineers with Cook’s advanced devices and expertise, we’re unlocking high-precision treatments that elevate patient care and empower clinicians.”

1 The product is currently under development and not available for sale in the U.S.A. Its future availability cannot be guaranteed.

Disclaimer: The product names and/or brands referred to are the property of their respective trademark holders.

For more information about Cook Medical’s iMRI division, visit CookMedical.com/divisions/iMRI and follow the journey on iMRI LinkedIn.

Further information on the iMRI suite can be found here.

Media contacts
Cook Medical
Marsha Lovejoy
+1 812 320 6903; marsha.lovejoy@cookmedical.com

Siemens Healthineers
Stefanie Haug
+49 173 635 8240; stefanie.haug@siemens-healthineers.com
Visit the Siemens Healthineers Press Center.
Subscribe to our “Medtech matters” newsletter on LinkedIn.

 

L-R: Rick Simms (Cook Medical, National Manager, GPO Account Executives), Amber Pastorek (Cook Medical, Account Executive Manager), Glenn Coleman (Premier, Chief Financial Officer & Chief Administrative Officer), Bob Stanley (Cook Medical, National GPO Account Executive), Brian Majoy (Cook Manager, Account Executive Manager), Chad Wissner (Cook Medial, Account Executive), Bruce Radcliff (Premier, President of Supply Chain Services) and Michael Alkire (Premier, President and CEO)

Bloomington, Ind. — Cook Medical is honored to receive a 2025 Legacy Supplier Award from Premier, Inc. This supplier award recognizes Cook’s deep connections and commitments to hospitals, supply chain leaders and other healthcare organizations. 

Premier is a leading healthcare improvement and technology company that unites an alliance of more than 4,350 U.S. hospitals and health systems. Each year, Premier announces award winners at their Breakthroughs Conference. The awards in various categories go to organizations that demonstrate unwavering commitment to delivering top value products and services designed to continually improve patient care.  

Cook Medical was honored to be among a select number of organizations that received the 2025 Legacy Supplier Award. Companies earn this award for long-standing support of Premier members through exceptional local customer service and engagement, value creation through clinical excellence and commitment to lower costs. Supplier Legacy Award winners have a tenure of more than three years as a Premier contracted supplier. 

What separates Cook from other suppliers is our Customer Portal, which makes the ordering experience more convenient and efficient for customers. Cook also offers a supplier risk dashboard and a biweekly global supply chain report. 

“For more than two decades, Cook Medical has been proud to collaborate with Premier,” said Bob Stanley, a national GPO account executive with Cook’s BusinessCare Integration team.”We are truly honored to receive this award from Premier. It reflects our shared mission and our dedication to delivering value to Premier’s membership. We’re excited about what lies ahead and continuing to grow with our customer’s evolving needs.”  

To learn more about the advantages of partnering with Cook Medical, visit our BusinessCare Integration site.   

About Premier, Inc.  

Premier is a leading technology-driven healthcare improvement company, providing solutions to two-thirds of all healthcare providers in the U.S. Playing a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry, Premier unites providers, suppliers, payers and policymakers to make healthcare better with national scale, smarter with actionable intelligence and faster with novel technologies. With integrated data and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, consulting and other services, Premier enables better care and outcomes at a lower cost. 

About Cook Medical 

At Cook Medical, we are passionate about making unique, quality medical devices and connecting with people to improve lives. Founded on inventing, manufacturing, and delivering medical devices, we provide healthcare professionals with the tools they need to help their patients return to living. 

Our commitment to innovation involves bringing new products to market and keeping existing products relevant to a changing healthcare landscape. We believe in using our business to help people and communities thrive by creating inclusive, supportive, and healthy environments. 

We are proud of our history of innovative firsts and the impact we have on patients and communities. With headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana, and manufacturing facilities and offices in various global locations, we challenge ourselves to maintain a global perspective while focusing on local impact. 

Follow Cook Medical at CookMedical.com and on LinkedIn.