Healthcare giant Abbott (NYSE:ABT) won European regulatory approval for its Xience Xpedition 48, which it calls the world’s longest coronary drug-eluting stent.
The Everolimus-eluting stent is a 1st in its class, indicated for treatment of very long blockages in vessels that supply blood to the heart. It’s another in a long line of 1st for Abbott, which was the 1st company to offer physicians size-specific metallic stents for use in the vessel of the heart, according to a press release.
Abbott hopes physicians will opt for the new Xience Xpedition 48 over a commonly seen alternative practice of chaining together multiple shorter stents to treat long blockages in as many as 30% of interventional heart procedures, the company noted.
"One of the hallmarks of Abbott’s vascular product development is our ability to identify new ways to help physicians address the needs of their patients," Abbott chief medical officer Dr. Charles Simonton said in prepared remarks. "Xience Xpedition 48 provides a new, unique solution for treating patients with very long lesions, affirming Abbott’s commitment to continued innovation."
ABT shares were down 0.2% to $37.74 as of about 3:00 p.m. yesterday.
