On 25 September, Abbott announced that Absorb, the world’s first drug-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS), is now widely available across Europe and parts of Asia Pacific and Latin America.
Absorb is a first-of-its-kind device for the treatment of coronary arterial disease. It works by restoring blood flow to the heart similar to a metallic stent, but then dissolves into the body, leaving behind a treated vessel that may resume more natural function and movement because it is free of a permanent metallic stent. Absorb is made of polylactide, a naturally dissolvable material that is commonly used in medical implants such as dissolving sutures.
The potential long-term benefits of a scaffold that dissolves are significant. The vessel may expand and contract as needed to increase the flow of blood to the heart in response to normal activities such as exercising; treatment and diagnostic options are broadened; the need for long-term treatment with anti-clotting medications may be reduced; and future interventions would be unobstructed by a permanent implant.
“This innovation represents a true paradigm shift in how we treat coronary artery disease. With the launch of Absorb, a scaffold that disappears after doing its job is no longer a dream, but a reality,” said Patrick W Serruys, professor of interventional cardiology at the Thoraxcentre, Erasmus University Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. “Patients are excited about Absorb since it may allow blood vessels to return to a more natural state and expand long-term diagnostic and treatment options.”
The international launch of Absorb is supported by a clinical trial programme that encompasses five studies in more than 20 countries around the world. Study data indicate that Absorb performs similar to a best-in-class drug-eluting stent across traditional measures such as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and target lesion revascularisation (TLR), while providing patients with the added benefits associated with a device that dissolves over time.
Absorb is neither approved nor authorised for sale and currently is in development with no regulatory status in the United States. Absorb is authorised for sale in CE mark countries. Absorb is now available in Europe, the Middle East, parts of Asia Pacific, including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand, and parts of Latin America.
