Bioabsorbable Drug-Eluting Stent Treats Coronary Artery Disease

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 14 Oct 2015

A novel bioabsorbable polymer drug-eluting stent system (BP-DES) provides synchronized drug and polymer absorption to enable more rapid and complete arterial healing.

The SYNERGY BP-DES is an everolimus-eluting platinum chromium coronary stent system that features an ultra-thin abluminal bioabsorbable poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) polymer coating that is intended to reduce the risk of complications associated with long-term permanent polymer exposure, which are currently used in DES systems. The proprietary PLGA polymer completes absorption shortly after everolimus drug elution ends (at three months), leaving only the bare platinum chromium stent.

Image: The SYNERGY Bioabsorbable Polymer Stent System (Photo courtesy of Boston Scientific).

The platinum chromium alloy and enhanced stent design enable thinner struts and improved deliverability while maintaining excellent conformability, flexibility, radiopacity, and low recoil. The technology provides the same level of restenosis reduction as a conventional everolimus-eluting stent, while offering faster and more complete vessel healing after implantation, potentially reducing duration of post-procedure dual antiplatelet therapy. The SYNERGY BP-DES is a product of Boston Scientific (Natick, MA, USA) and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“In addition to its innovative coating, the foundation of the SYNERGY stent is our proprietary platinum chromium alloy and an enhanced stent design which allow for thinner struts, increased visibility and an extremely low crossing profile for easier deliverability,” said Kevin Ballinger, president of interventional cardiology at Boston Scientific. “The SYNERGY stent is a next generation therapy designed to improve patient outcomes and ultimately reduce health care costs associated with the treatment of coronary artery disease.”

Long-term exposure to polymer may cause inflammation, which delays healing and has been associated with other complications, including neoatherosclerosis and stent thrombosis.

Related Links:
Boston Scientific