Penumbra, Inc. (NYSE: PEN), the world's leading thrombectomy company, announced the initiation of its FORWARD study, an international, real world prospective, multi-center study. The study will collect safety and efficacy data on mechanical thrombectomy, including computer assisted vacuum thrombectomy (CAVT™) and modulated aspiration, in the management of acute ischemic stroke with distal occlusions. The first patient was treated by Keith Woodward, M.D., neurointerventional radiologist at Vista Radiology in Knoxville, Tenn.