Johnson and Johnson reports confirmation of Cypher stent safety and efficacy

Johnson & Johnson has announced that the long-term safety of its Cypher sirolimus-eluting coronary stent has been confirmed in a number of articles published in the New England Journal of Medicine, with specific reference to death, heart attacks and stent thrombosis.

The company reports that these studies also back the efficacy of the stents compared to bare metal devices, with a reduction in the need for revascularisation procedures.

David Kandzar, chief medical officer of the cardiology division of Cordis, a Johnson & Johnson company, commented that the firm was extremely pleased with these results being presented in a peer reviewed journal.

“These studies reaffirm the long-term safety and efficacy of this important treatment option for coronary artery disease,” he said.

“This should give more confidence to interventional cardiologists and their patients.”

Dr Kandzari commented that the firm would continue to expand on its clinical knowledge regarding the Cypher stent and its use in patients with a number of lesion types.

Last week, Cordis announced that it had been awarded with the Shingo Prize for excellence in manufacturing for its plant in Juarez, with the site reporting a 64 per cent increase in productivity during the evaluation period.