Medtronic’s Stent Matches Abbott’s – Analyst Blog

Medtronic (MDT) recently presented preliminary results from the RESOLUTE All Comers study at the 2010 EuroPCR meeting. Results showed that Medtronic’s Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent was similar to Abbott Laboratories’ (ABT) Xience V everolimus-eluting stent, in terms of safety and efficacy.

 

At the end of one year, results showed that the Medtronic’s Resolute DES was as effective as Abbott’s Xience DES in reducing the need for repeat procedures. Moreover, both stents were associated with similarly low rates of death from cardiac causes and heart attacks attributed to the treated vessel.

 

The Resolute DES is available in Japan and several other countries. However, it is yet to gain approval in the US, where it is available only for investigational use. The commercial availability of the Resolute DES will provide patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) an additional treatment option.

 

RESOLUTE All Comers is part of the Resolute clinical program, which will be conducted with more than 6,000 patients across the world. The program includes studies like RESOLUTE, RESOLUTE US, RESOLUTE International and RESOLUTE Japan.

 

Shortly after its 2008 approval in the US, Xience V became the market-leading DES in the US. Abbott is currently working on its next-generation drug coated stent called XIENCE PRIME. It is already in the market in certain countries and is currently in a large-scale clinical program called SPIRIT PRIME in the US. PRIME is expected to enter the US market in the first half of 2012.

 

We currently have a Neutral rating on both Medtronic and Abbott.