Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) has launched its Alair bronchial thermoplasty therapy in India, according to an India Blooms report.
The device won clearance in the country with indications for treating severe, persistent, drug-resistant asthma in adult patients who’s asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long acting beta antagonists.
Marlborough, Mass.-based Boston Scientific’s Alair bronchial thermoplasty treatment uses a bronchoscope to deliver radiofrequency energy to reduce the amount of excess smooth muscle tissue in the airways.
“There are over 18 million estimated asthmatics in the country, for some of whom currently available medication has failed to provide any relief. Our bronchial thermoplasty therapy holds great promise to help address this need gap. We have sufficient evidence that shows Bronchial Thermoplasty is an effective therapeutic option for patients with severe persistent, drug-resistant asthma,” Boston Scientific India VP & managing director Prabal Chakraborty said, according to the report.
The 1st procedure using the device was performed at the Royal Care Hospital in Coimbatore yesterday, according to India Blooms.
“This is a ground-breaking solution which may provide a complementary treatment to severe, persistent, drug-resistant asthma patients in the country,” operating physician in the 1st procedure Dr. Pattabi Raman of the Royal Care Super Specialty Hospital said, according to the report.
In May, Boston Scientific said that data from a post-approval study showed that patients treated with its Alair device exhibited long-term improvement in controlling their asthma.
The 284-patient PAS2 study showed that patients treated with Alair went from a 77.8% rate of severe exacerbations to 50.6% during the 1st year and 45.4% during the 2nd year. Hospitalizations went from 16% pre-Alair to 14.4% in year 1 and 12.7% in year 2. Emergency room visits also fell, dropping from 29% to 18.3% in the 1st year and 13.5% in the 2nd year of the study.
