Medical Device Link.

Originally Published EMDM September 2002

MEDTEC IRELAND 2002

Early clinical trial results—most notably the landmark RAVEL study—indicate that drug-eluting stents have the potential to significantly reduce, or, in certain instances, completely eliminate, the risk of restenosis associated with angioplasty procedures. "The effect of drug-eluting stents on the coronary stent market, and on the interventional revascularization market as a whole, will be dramatic," says Michael Austriaco, senior research analyst at Health Research International (HRI; Cleveland, OH, USA). HRI was founded in 1978 to provide market intelligence services to the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.

"The decreased risk of restenosis will allow greater numbers of patients to be treated, including many previously referred for invasive bypass surgery," says Austriaco. According to HRI, this factor, combined with the premium pricing of drug-eluting stents, will create a product market valued at approximately US$4 billion in the United States alone by the year 2006.

Austriaco will highlight developments in this emerging market at MEDTEC Ireland. In a conference presentation titled "Drug Eluting Stents: the Next RAVELution," he will provide an overview of the leading drug-eluting-stent programmes, their available clinical results, competitive factors affecting their pending success, and the potential impact on the medical device industry. Austriaco will be accompanied in the presentation by HRI president Suzanne Ratzloff. "This is a continually evolving market, with noteworthy news reported almost every week," says Austriaco. "Considering Johnson & Johnson's European launch of the Cypher stent in April, any newcomers will face formidable competition," he adds.

Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer