St Jude Medical agrees new collagen supply arrangement

St Jude Medical has agreed a new collagen plug supply arrangement with regenerative medicines firm Kensey Nash, which will come into effect on January 1st 2011.

The new two-year arrangement will see Kensey Nash continue to be the exclusive outside supplier of collagen plugs for use as reabsorbable components St Jude Medical’s Angio-Seal vascular closure device.

In addition, the new deal will also see St Jude Medical cease to receive polymer anchor supplies from Kensey Nash when their current agreement expires on December 31st 2010.

Kensey Nash expects the deal will allow it to maximise its revenues from component sales for the Angio-Seal device, which is the world’s leading arterial puncture closure product.

Joe Kaufmann, president and chief executive officer of Kensey Nash, said: “We are pleased to continue as a supplier of this key Angio-Seal device component, a role we have successfully filled since the product’s initial development.”

Earlier this month, St Jude Medical was granted European CE Mark accreditation for Therapy Cool Flex, which it describes as the world’s first flexible tip ablation catheter.