Bioabsorbable Stent May Have Promise

From the Chicago Tribune:

The absorbable stent is made of polylactic acid, which is used in other medical products such as sutures used to close wounds after surgery and also absorb into the body, researchers say. It is coated with the same drug that Abbott uses on its drug-coated metal stent, known as Xience. The stent has been approved in Europe and Abbott will submit it to U.S. regulators next year for approval in 2008.

But 30 patients so far (and 30 days of follow-up) in the US is still a small number.

Abbott's study so far involves just 30 patients who have had the absorbable stents implanted for just 30 days, but Abbott and researchers involved with the product said it seems to be safe and shows no sign of clotting or other harmful side effects so early in the clinical trial process.

Ah, the power of marketing. I just wish companies, in their rush to have early results for big (money) meetings like the TCT meeting in Washington this week, would refrain from such press releases until longer follow-up and real safety data are available. It reveals the subterranian motives of our pharmaceutical industry: stock prices are more important than patient well-being.

-Wes