Johnson and Johnson reports superiority of Cypher stent

Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, has announced the results of a meta-analysis of 38 trials comparing the Cypher sirolimus-eluting coronary stent and Taxus stent to bare metal stents, with these results published in the current issue of the Lancet medical journal.

The company reports that the mortality risks relating to drug-eluting stents and bare metal states were comparable and similarly low.

Furthermore, Cordis reports that a significant reduction in the risk of myocardial infarction and reintervention was found in patients implanted with the Cypher stent when compared to those using bare metal stents and the Taxus stent.

Additionally, patients given the Cypher stent saw a decrease in the risk of blood clots a month after stent implantation when compared to those implanted with the Taxus stent.

David E Kandzari, chief medical officer of Cordis, said: “This network meta-analysis constitutes the largest and most robust set of data published to date in an eminent international peer-reviewed journal assessing the long-term safety and efficacy outcomes of drug-eluting stents.”

He added that the results exhibit the benefits of drug-eluting stents when compared to their bare metal equivalents, while also exploring the differences between the Taxus and Cypher stents.

In March 2007, Cordis reported the positive results of a five-year clinical study assessing the Cypher stent, with the trial achieving the primary endpoint with the Cypher showing lower rates of target vessel failure than bare metal stents.