The U.S. FDA has given its nod for a new trial of Abbott Laboratories’ Amplatzer Amulet left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder for those with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are at risk of stroke. Known as the CATALYST trial, it is the first study comparing the effectiveness of a LAA closure device to non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) drugs, a newer class of blood thinners, the Abbott Park, Ill.-based company said.
GI Dynamics Inc.’s U.S. IDE trial of Endobarrier, which is designed for patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity, is now underway with the first patient enrollment at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, Mich. The FDA approved the pivotal STEP-1 clinical trial in August 2019 to evaluate the Endobarrier as a barrier between the small intestine and food to reduce calorie intake.
Abbott Laboratories had a winning week, scoring U.S. FDA approval of its Infinity directional deep brain stimulation (DBS) system in treating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease not adequately managed by medication. The company also reported new data underscoring the benefits of its Proclaim XR neuromodulation system in people living with chronic pain.
The controversy over the use of paclitaxel-bearing devices in the femoropopliteal arteries is far from over. Now, a new medical journal article makes a similar claim about mortality in connection with the use of these devices in the infrapopliteal arteries, threatening once again to take a bite out of utilization.
BEIJING – With promising phase II data in hand – and newly designated FDA orphan drug status – Suzhou, China-based Tennor Therapeutics Suzhou Co. Ltd. is gearing up to move into pivotal testing with TNP-2092 to treat prosthetic joint infections. TNP-2092 is a multitargeting drug conjugate designed to exert antibacterial activity by inhibiting three essential targets in bacterial biofilms.
Nearly 70% of men with locally recurrent prostate cancer who received radiation therapy initially could delay androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for at least five years following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) with Accuray Inc.’s Cyberknife system, according to a study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology • Biology • Physics.
A new study of 30 patients has demonstrated that embolization coils adequately seal the left atrial appendage after implant of LAA closure devices, but the author of an accompanying editorial expressed concerns regarding the absence of understanding of both the causes and implications of these leaks.
Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott Laboratories has gained the U.S. FDA’s nod for a clinical trial that will compare the effectiveness of Mitraclip to open-heart mitral valve surgical repair in people with primary mitral regurgitation (MR) who are eligible for open-heart surgery. The prospective, randomized REPAIR MR clinical trial is expected to enroll 500 patients.
While the disappearing drug-eluting stent seems to have faded from view for the time being, several manufacturers have invested in fabrication of drug-eluting stents with polymers that absorb once the drug of elution has done its work. A new study indicates that patients who have already had a myocardial infarction fare better on stents made with these biodegradable polymers, an outcome that may soon push second-generation DES devices into med-tech history.
Saluda Medical Pty. Ltd., of Artarmon, Australia, made waves in 2019, winning the CE mark for its Evoke closed-loop spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system. The good news kept coming following the publication of results from a pivotal study in The Lancet Neurology.