Boston Scientific begins new study of Vessix system

Boston Scientific has commenced a clinical trial aimed at showing how its Vessix renal denervation system can be beneficial to people with high blood pressure.

The company has enrolled its first patient for the REDUCE-HTN: REINFORCE study, which features a novel design to isolate the effects of the therapy in high blood pressure patients.

Similar to pharmaceutical early effectiveness studies, participants will undergo a four-week washout period prior to enrolment, during which they will stop taking all hypertension medications.

The aim of this is to minimise variability and factors that may have affected results in a competitive technology trial last year.

Jeff Mirviss, president for peripheral interventions at Boston Scientific, said: "We believe the Vessix System is a meaningful innovation to help advance the care of patients with hypertension."

Earlier this month, the company agreed a deal to purchase Xlumena, a medical device company specialising in endoscopic ultrasound-guided transluminal drainage of the gastrointestinal tract.