Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) enrolled the 1st of thousands of patients in its latest study, designed to analyze standards of care for heart failure patients in emerging markets.
The study includes about 10 hospitals in each of the target countries: India, Bangladesh, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, Russia, Hungary and China.
The study, called IMPROVE Brady, will proceed in 2 phases to compare existing patient treatment in emerging market countries to treatment guidelines and a physician toolkit provided by Medtronic.
During the 1st phase, which will occur over an estimated 12 months and include 550 patients per region, Medtronic will note physician practices based on each region’s existing standard of care to determine how each patient is diagnosed and whether a pacemaker was prescribed.
Following observation, investigators will participate in an educational workshop and receive a physician toolkit that will include diagnostic algorithms, informational videos and resources to educate patients about their conditions and treatment options. In phase II of the study, which will take about 18 months and involve about 1,100 patients per region, investigators will implement the new guidelines.
Medtronic will use data from both phases to compare the benefits of standardized treatment practices across the 9 regions, with hopes of encouraging "worldwide adoption of consensus treatment guidelines – such as those developed and supported by the top cardiovascular physician societies in the world – to provide the best quality of care to all patients with heart rhythm disorders," Medtronic CRM president and senior vice president Pat Mackin said in prepared remarks.
Emerging markets have been a core focus for Medtronic since new president & Omar Ishrak took the corner office last year.
Ishrak made emphasized a push for emerging markets early on, including big moves in India, which he called the "biggest hole" in the company’s global reach. He’s also targeting China and other emerging markets, which he has said may be "potentially less risky than creating new products for the flat U.S market."
The medical device giant may also be looking to bolster its cardiac rhythm management business, which has struggled in the U.S., by boosting marketing overseas.
Ishrak has been notably optimistic about the U.S. CRM market, unlike rival medical device makers St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) and Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX). Nevertheless, Medtronic has not been without its share of hardships, including about 1,000 layoffs among various CRM divisions amid ongoing declines in sales.