One of the biggest stories coming out of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics’ annual meeting in Boston this weekend focuses on the success of Edwards Lifesciences Corp.’s freshly FDA-approved Pascal Precision transcatheter valve repair system in the CLASP IID trial, which compared it to Abbott Laboratories’ Mitraclip device in patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) who were determined to be at prohibitive surgical risk.
The U.S. FDA has advised the public that it is in possession of 10 reports of squamous cell carcinoma and 12 reports of various lymphomas in connection with breast implants, a series of findings that are separate from known incidents of lymphoma.
The use of leads for cardiac electrophysiology devices has proven nothing short of controversial in the past, usually an artifact of efforts to craft ever-skinnier leads that won’t disrupt the blood vessels into which they are placed. Dublin-based Medtronic plc is working to avoid these problems with leads without sacrificing the advantages of leads via its EV ICD system, which soundly passed the test in a study presented at this year’s edition of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) annual scientific sessions.
Integra Lifesciences Holdings Corp., of Plainsboro, N.J., said in its latest 8K filing that it has decided to voluntarily remove all the company’s Cerelink systems – which are indicated for intracranial pressure monitoring – due to customer reports that these monitors were returning inaccurate pressure readings.
Valentine’s Day is a great day for creating that tingly feeling, but Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott Laboratories believes that this is not a good sensation for patients who are in search of pain relief via spinal cord stimulation (SCS) devices. Thus, the company touts its Proclaim Plus as a system that delivers a tightly titrated charge to multiple sites on the spinal cord to generate an analgesic effect without that tingling sensation, an outcome the company said is preferred by 87% of those in need of SCS for pain relief.
Abbott Laboratories received FDA clearance for its Freestyle Libre 3 continuous glucose monitoring system (CGM) just before the kickoff of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual meeting June 3 followed by breakthrough device designation for a combined CGM and continuous ketone monitoring system.
Abbott Laboratories reported results from its PERSIST-END study demonstrating that close to nine in 10 patients treated for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) with its Tacticath contact force ablation, sensor-enabled (Tacticath SE) were free of symptoms of their arrhythmia over 15 months of follow-up. The study’s findings, which supported a November 2021 FDA approval for persistent AF, also showed significant improvement in patients’ quality of life and a more than 50% cut in the use of health care resources, the company said.
With one-quarter of China’s population affected by rolling shutdowns, manufacturers worldwide are preparing for a summer of supply chain nightmares. Shanghai and its normally bustling port have been closed now for a month and the nation’s COVID-Zero policy is now threatening Beijing. So far, though, the med-tech industry remains minimally affected, but the coming months may tell a different story.
While a number of companies cited continued supply chain issues in recent investor calls and earnings reports, few med-tech leaders have expressed concerns about serious disruption to operations or loss of revenue because of the destruction wrought by the invasion of Ukraine or the associated sanctions on Russia. Most companies derive less than 1% of their revenue from the two countries.
Though the Ukraine war has had an impact on the availability of medical devices and diagnostics, a number of companies based in the U.S. and Europe have announced measures to ensure their products will reach the war-torn nation. Device companies are donating millions to nongovernmental organizations for humanitarian assistance, while the Advanced Medical Technology Association (Advamed) said its member companies are tracking the situation and are eager to pitch in with desperately needed supplies and medical equipment.
