Abbott launches private-label stent system in Europe

Abbott has launched a private-label version of its Xience V everolimus eluting Coronary Stent System in Europe. The Promius everolimus-eluting Coronary stent system is manufactured by Abbott and supplied to Boston Scientific.

The decision to launch the Xience V system in Europe follows its receipt of a CE mark in October 2006. The system is based on the Multi-Link Vision coronary stent platform and uses everolimus to reduce the proliferation of tissue in coronary vessels that may occur after a patient is implanted with a stent.

John M Capek, president of Abbott Vascular, said: “We are pleased with today’s announcement, as it allows more patients to have access to the advanced next-generation drug-eluting stent technology that underlies the Xience V system.”

Last year, at the World Congress of Cardiology conference in Barcelona, the company presented the results of the Spirit II clinical trial that showed the strengths of the Zience V system when compared to the Taxus paclitaxel-eluting stent system when analysing angiographic in-stent late loss measured at six months.

In October 2006, Abbott announced early clinical results from its Absorb trial, showing that patients exhibited no major adverse cardiac events or stent thrombosis, 30 days after implantation with a bioabsorbable everolimus-eluting stent.