Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

A transient ischemic attack, TIA or mini-stroke, occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted. The only difference between a TIA and a stroke is that with TIA the blockage is transient or temporary.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Most TIAs last for a few minutes and are caused by an embolus dislodged from a carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque. Presence of infarction, or tissue death, is the main distinction between a TIA and a stroke.

Symptoms vary widely from person to person, depending on the area of the brain involved with most frequent symptoms being temporary loss of vision, difficulty speaking, weakness or  numbness on one side of the body.

An estimated 350,000 TIAs occur annually in the United States, 500,000 in Europe and 130,000 in Japan. Ten percent of patients who suffer a TIA may present with a stroke within 3 months, with half of those strokes occurring within 48 hours from TIA event.

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Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

A transient ischemic attack, TIA or mini-stroke, occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted. The only difference between a TIA and a stroke is that with TIA the blockage is transient or temporary.

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Most TIAs last for a few minutes and are caused by an embolus dislodged from a carotid artery atherosclerotic plaque. Presence of infarction, or tissue death, is the main distinction between a TIA and a stroke.

Symptoms vary widely from person to person, depending on the area of the brain involved with most frequent symptoms being temporary loss of vision, difficulty speaking, weakness or  numbness on one side of the body.

An estimated 350,000 TIAs occur annually in the United States, 500,000 in Europe and 130,000 in Japan. Ten percent of patients who suffer a TIA may present with a stroke within 3 months, with half of those strokes occurring within 48 hours from TIA event.

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Abbott ACT I Carotid Stent Clinical Trial

Abbott Vascular ACT I is a prospective, randomized, multi-center trial that is enrolling a maximum of 1,658  patients, at up to 50 sites in North America.

ACT I is designed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of CAS when compared to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the treatment of asymptomatic carotid artery disease (CAD) in people at normal risk for surgery.

ACT I is using Abbott Vascular Emboshield BareWire Rapid Exchange Embolic Protection System with the Xact Rapid Exchange Carotid Stent System.

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Abbott ACT I Carotid Stent Clinical Trial

Abbott Vascular ACT I is a prospective, randomized, multi-center trial that is enrolling a maximum of 1,658  patients, at up to 50 sites in North America.

ACT I is designed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of CAS when compared to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for the treatment of asymptomatic carotid artery disease (CAD) in people at normal risk for surgery.

ACT I is using Abbott Vascular Emboshield BareWire Rapid Exchange Embolic Protection System with the Xact Rapid Exchange Carotid Stent System.

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Richard Emmitt Sells 600,000 ev3 Shares

Richard Emmitt, a general partner at The Vertical Group and member of ev3 board of directors, sold $8.8 million worth of ev3 stock. The transaction was filed with SEC on Tuesday January 19th 2010, same day that J.P. Morgan upgraded the stock from Neutral to Overweight with a price target increase from $15 to $19.

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Richard Emmitt Sells 600,000 ev3 Shares

Richard Emmitt, a general partner at The Vertical Group and member of ev3 board of directors, sold $8.8 million worth of ev3 stock. The transaction was filed with SEC on Tuesday January 19th 2010, same day that J.P. Morgan upgraded the stock from Neutral to Overweight with a price target increase from $15 to $19.

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Stifel Raises Micrus Endovascular Target to $19

Following a meeting with Micrus management where they came away positive on the prospects of Micrus managing to achieve its stated revenue guidance of $84-87 million for fiscal 2010, Stifel Analysts raised their target to $19 from $15. They also indicated that Micrus will be able to drive significant operating margin improvement throughout the remainder of year.

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Stifel Raises Micrus Endovascular Target to $19

Following a meeting with Micrus management where they came away positive on the prospects of Micrus managing to achieve its stated revenue guidance of $84-87 million for fiscal 2010, Stifel Analysts raised their target to $19 from $15. They also indicated that Micrus will be able to drive significant operating margin improvement throughout the remainder of year.

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Palmisano: Neuro Intervention Market is $1 Billion

Robert Palmisano Estimates $950 Mil Neurovascular Intervention Market for the year 2010.

Announcement was made at JPMorgan Healthcare Conference later today (January 12th 2009).

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Palmisano: Neuro Intervention Market is $1 Billion

Robert Palmisano Estimates $950 Mil Neurovascular Intervention Market for the year 2010.

Announcement was made at JPMorgan Healthcare Conference later today (January 12th 2009).

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Kilcoyne: Micrus will Acquire a Flow Diverter

John Kilcoyne, Micrus Endovascular CEO, dismissed aneurysm flow diversion as a niche opportunity applicable to a small subset of cerebral aneurysm and warned of future in-stent stenosis potential side effects.

However, Mr. Kilcoyne, confirmed that Micrus Endovascular is working on acquiring the technology and is currently working with Flexible Stenting Solutions to develop a laser-cut carbon coated nitinol aneurysm flow diverting device.

The remarks were made today, January 12, 2010 at Needham Growth Conference 12th Annual.

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Kilcoyne: Micrus will Acquire a Flow Diverter

John Kilcoyne, Micrus Endovascular CEO, dismissed aneurysm flow diversion as a niche opportunity applicable to a small subset of cerebral aneurysm and warned of future in-stent stenosis potential side effects.

However, Mr. Kilcoyne, confirmed that Micrus Endovascular is working on acquiring the technology and is currently working with Flexible Stenting Solutions to develop a laser-cut carbon coated nitinol aneurysm flow diverting device.

The remarks were made today, January 12, 2010 at Needham Growth Conference 12th Annual.

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Palmisano: Aneurysm Flow Diversion $350 Million

Rober Palmisano Asserts earlier estimates of $350 million for Cerebral Aneurysm Flow Diversion Device Market by 2013.

Announcement was made at JPMorgan Healthcare Conference later today (January 12th 2009).

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Palmisano: Aneurysm Flow Diversion $350 Million

Rober Palmisano Asserts earlier estimates of $350 million for Cerebral Aneurysm Flow Diversion Device Market by 2013.

Announcement was made at JPMorgan Healthcare Conference later today (January 12th 2009).

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Iranians Suffer More Strokes Earlier

According to a new study that followed more than 450,000 Iranian adults, researchers found that 624 suffered a first-ever stroke over one year. When the researchers adjusted the figures to compare against a number of Western countries, they found that Iranians' stroke rate was substantially higher.

The overall rate among Iranian men and women aged 45 to 84 was 743 strokes per 100,000 persons. That compared with rates ranging between 200 and 400 per 100,000 in most of the other countries assessed in the study, including the UK, Italy, Greece, Australia and Sweden.

Although the elderly had by far the highest rates of stroke across nations, Iranians showed a higher risk than Westerners starting between the ages of 45 and 54.

“Essentially, Iranians were suffering strokes a decade earlier than their counterparts in Western countries” said Dr. Mahmoud Reza Azarpazhooh, of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran.

Only Ukraine had a higher stroke rate than Iran.

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Iranians Suffer More Strokes Earlier

According to a new study that followed more than 450,000 Iranian adults, researchers found that 624 suffered a first-ever stroke over one year. When the researchers adjusted the figures to compare against a number of Western countries, they found that Iranians' stroke rate was substantially higher.

The overall rate among Iranian men and women aged 45 to 84 was 743 strokes per 100,000 persons. That compared with rates ranging between 200 and 400 per 100,000 in most of the other countries assessed in the study, including the UK, Italy, Greece, Australia and Sweden.

Although the elderly had by far the highest rates of stroke across nations, Iranians showed a higher risk than Westerners starting between the ages of 45 and 54.

“Essentially, Iranians were suffering strokes a decade earlier than their counterparts in Western countries” said Dr. Mahmoud Reza Azarpazhooh, of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran.

Only Ukraine had a higher stroke rate than Iran.

Read more...

Micrus Endovascular

Micrus Endovascular, a publicly held California-based company founded in June 1996, develops, manufactures and markets a range of proprietary devices and delivery systems for neuro-endovascular applications mainly neuro coils and delivery devices.

Micrus began commercial sales of its microcoil products in 2000 and went public in June 2005. Micrus main marketed product are occlusive aneurysm MicroCoil systems including the ACT, the Cerecyte polymer-loaded, bioactive MicroCoil which was launched in 2004, the Presidio microcoil system which was launched in 2006 and the Cashmere microcoil system which was launched in 2007.

In March 2006 Micrus commenced sales and marketing efforts in Japan through Goodman, its distributor in Japan. During the same month Micrus received CE Mark approval for its Pharos stent, developed by Biotronik, for the treatment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

In December 2007, Micrus received regulatory approval to sell its stretch-resistant microcoils in Japan and received approval to sell its Cerecyte microcoils in July 2008.

Micrus global revenue exceeded US$80 million in 2009.

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Micrus Endovascular

Micrus Endovascular, a publicly held California-based company founded in June 1996, develops, manufactures and markets a range of proprietary devices and delivery systems for neuro-endovascular applications mainly neuro coils and delivery devices.

Micrus began commercial sales of its microcoil products in 2000 and went public in June 2005. Micrus main marketed product are occlusive aneurysm MicroCoil systems including the ACT, the Cerecyte polymer-loaded, bioactive MicroCoil which was launched in 2004, the Presidio microcoil system which was launched in 2006 and the Cashmere microcoil system which was launched in 2007.

In March 2006 Micrus commenced sales and marketing efforts in Japan through Goodman, its distributor in Japan. During the same month Micrus received CE Mark approval for its Pharos stent, developed by Biotronik, for the treatment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke.

In December 2007, Micrus received regulatory approval to sell its stretch-resistant microcoils in Japan and received approval to sell its Cerecyte microcoils in July 2008.

Micrus global revenue exceeded US$80 million in 2009.

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Boston Scientific Neurovascular

Boston Scientific markets a broad line of neuro endovascular devices including the GDC Detachable Coils, Matrix Detachable Coils, Neuroform Microdelivery Stent System, Pre-Shaped Microcatheters and the Synchro Microfabricated Nitinol Guidewires.

Boston Scientific has developed, and markets, two leading intracranial stents, the Neuroform for stent assisted coil insertions and the Wingspan for cerebral ischemia. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE), approved the Neuroform Microdelivery Stent System in September 2002 and the Wingspan in August 2005.

An HDE approval is given for a device that is intended to benefit patients in the diagnosis or treatment of diseases or conditions that affect fewer than 4,000 individuals in the United States per year.

The Wingspan, a self-expanding Nitinol stent sheathed in a delivery system that enables it to reach and open narrowed arteries in the brain,  is currently the only device available in the U.S. for the treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD).

The Wingspan is also marketed in Europe and selected international markets for improving cerebral artery lumen diameter in patients with ICAD who are unresponsive to medical therapy.

At the end of 2009 Boston Scientific neurovascular franchise generated an estimated US$350 million, a decline of (-3%) from a peak of $360 million in 2008. The decline was a result of new competitive launches in both the coils segment and the aneurysm stent segment.

The company plans to launch a next-generation family of detachable coils, including an enhanced delivery system with reduced coil detachment times, in the U.S. in the in the first quarter of 2010.

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Boston Scientific Neurovascular

Boston Scientific markets a broad line of neuro endovascular devices including the GDC Detachable Coils, Matrix Detachable Coils, Neuroform Microdelivery Stent System, Pre-Shaped Microcatheters and the Synchro Microfabricated Nitinol Guidewires.

Boston Scientific has developed, and markets, two leading intracranial stents, the Neuroform for stent assisted coil insertions and the Wingspan for cerebral ischemia. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), under a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE), approved the Neuroform Microdelivery Stent System in September 2002 and the Wingspan in August 2005.

An HDE approval is given for a device that is intended to benefit patients in the diagnosis or treatment of diseases or conditions that affect fewer than 4,000 individuals in the United States per year.

The Wingspan, a self-expanding Nitinol stent sheathed in a delivery system that enables it to reach and open narrowed arteries in the brain,  is currently the only device available in the U.S. for the treatment of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD).

The Wingspan is also marketed in Europe and selected international markets for improving cerebral artery lumen diameter in patients with ICAD who are unresponsive to medical therapy.

At the end of 2009 Boston Scientific neurovascular franchise generated an estimated US$350 million, a decline of (-3%) from a peak of $360 million in 2008. The decline was a result of new competitive launches in both the coils segment and the aneurysm stent segment.

The company plans to launch a next-generation family of detachable coils, including an enhanced delivery system with reduced coil detachment times, in the U.S. in the in the first quarter of 2010.

Read more...