With FDA clearances in hand, medical device titan Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) touted the launch of 2 lines of cardiac rhythm management devices that the company says can help reduce costs and enhance patient comfort.
Medtronic said that its newly cleared line Viva portfolio of cardiac resynchronization defibrillators feature the proprietary AdaptivCRT algorithm that "significantly improves response rate to the therapy for many indicated heart failure patients, with a demonstrated 21% reduction in overall heart failure hospitalizations within the 1st year after implant as compared to historical CRT trials."
"These devices offer patients and physicians advanced systems that can improve patients’ overall quality of life, while reducing the cost burdens of unnecessary hospitalizations," Massachusetts General Hospital resynchronization & advanced cardiac therapeutics director Dr. Jagmeet Singh said in prepared remarks on behalf of the company. "Patients can now experience a more comfortable fit due to less skin pressure, a longer lasting battery, and highly advanced CRT-D algorithms."
Medtronic also won FDA clearance for its Evera suite of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, which include features similar to the Viva line, such as SmartShock technology for reducing unnecessary shocks and long-lasting batteries that live up to 11 years, according to a press release.
That all adds up to cost-savings for hospitals and payers, as well as improved outcomes for patients, the company noted.
"These devices are designed to provide optimal therapy for patients, while providing economic benefits through fewer hospitalizations, fewer inappropriate shocks and increased longevity, which can result in lower healthcare costs," Medtronic heart failure division vice president Dr. David Steinhaus said in prepared remarks. "Patients suffering from debilitating heart rhythm disorders can rely on new treatment options that can significantly improve their quality of life."
Medtronic has issued a few announcements for its CRM efforts in recent months, including signing up to provide a heart rhythm monitoring and assessment component to a clinical study assessing ARCA biopharma’s genetically targeted cardiovascular drug therapy.
The medtech titan has long been a primary player in cardiac rhythm management, but has suffered some blows as pricing pressures and other environmental factors have slowed the market. The CRM market appears to have stabilized, Medtronic CFO Gary Ellis told investors earlier this year, but it’s unlikely to return to previous levels of growth.
