EuroPCR: St. Jude’s EnligHTN device shows promising 1-year trial results

St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) released results for its EnligHTN renal denervation system trial, which effectively lowered blood pressure in patients after 1 year.

Data from EnliGHTN I was presented at the annual EuroPCR meeting in Paris, France.

St. Jude’s renal denervation system, which is not on the market in the U.S., is a catheter-based treatment for high blood pressure patients who have developed drug-resistance, meaning their condition can no longer be controlled with medication.

The EnligHTN Multi-Electrode Renal Denervation System applies radiofequency energy to create tiny scars along nerves that control blood pressure. The EnligHTN I study showed this procedure was effective in lowering average blood pressure 27 mmHg points for a group of patients with an average blood pressure of 176/96 mmHg.

The first patient enrolled in the EnligHTN III study, which will evaluate next-generation EnligHTN system. The medical device giant’s major competitor in renal denervation is Medtronic’s (NYSE:MDT) Symplicity system.