NATICK, Mass., May 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation today announced that results from an international, multi-center patient registry documenting the safety and clinical utility of the SpyGlass(R) Direct Visualization System will be presented at Digestive Disease Week(R) (DDW), which runs from May 17-22 in San Diego, CA. Registry results will be announced in three separate scientific oral presentations scheduled for Tuesday, May 20. In addition, a total of 15 abstracts on the clinical utility of the SpyGlass System will be presented at the conference, underscoring its widespread acceptance in physician practices.
The SpyGlass patient registry reports on clinical data from 296 patients at 15 U.S. and European medical centers who required peroral cholangioscopy (PO) for the treatment or diagnosis of biliary stones or indeterminate strictures with suspected pathology.
The SpyGlass System is the first single-use direct visualization system that requires only a single physician operator and provides four-way steerability in a four lumen single-use catheter. The catheter provides two dedicated irrigation channels in addition to a 1.2 mm working channel through which diagnostic and therapeutic devices can be used in the biliary ducts. The system includes a miniature 6,000-pixel fiber optic probe attached to a camera that provides physicians with a direct view of a patient’s bile ducts, overcoming some of the visual challenges of conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) procedures.
“We are excited that DDW provides an opportunity to highlight the safety and therapeutic benefits of the SpyGlass System at the one-year anniversary of its worldwide launch,” said Michael P. Phalen, President, Boston Scientific Endoscopy. “We have received positive feedback from the GI community regarding the ability of the SpyGlass System to provide excellent direct visual access to the bile ducts. We have nearly 300 patients enrolled in our comprehensive patient registry, which enables us to build further evidence of the clinical utility of cholangioscopy using the SpyGlass System.” Schedule of SpyGlass Patient Registry Presentations:
The SpyGlass Direct Visualization System will be available for demonstrations at Boston Scientific’s booth #3314. The Company will also offer hands-on demonstration sessions in its Simulated Clinical Endoscopy Suite for the following products: WallFlex(R) Stents, Polyflex(R) Esophageal Stents, Radial Jaw(R) 4 Biopsy Forceps, Resolution(R) Clip, CRE(TM) Balloon Dilators and the RX Biliary System(TM).
About Digestive Disease Week(R)
DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, DDW takes place May 17-22, 2008, at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA. The meeting showcases approximately 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. For more information, visit www.ddw.org.
About Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. For more information, please visit: www.bostonscientific.com.
About Boston Scientific Endoscopy
Boston Scientific Endoscopy develops innovative technology for less invasive, more efficient gastrointestinal procedures. We stand beside our physicians, surgeons and nurses, providing comprehensive support locally and through hands-on education and industry sponsorships, to help improve patient outcomes.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words like “anticipate,” “expect,” “project,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar words. These forward- looking statements are based on our beliefs, assumptions and estimates using information available to us at the time and are not intended to be guarantees of future events or performance. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding clinical trials, scientific activities, product performance, competitive offerings and growth investment. If our underlying assumptions turn out to be incorrect, or if certain risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. These factors, in some cases, have affected and in the future (together with other factors) could affect our ability to implement our business strategy and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements expressed in this press release. As a result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any of our forward- looking statements.
Factors that may cause such differences include, among other things: future economic, competitive, reimbursement and regulatory conditions; new product introductions; demographic trends; intellectual property; litigation; financial market conditions; and, future business decisions made by us and our competitors. All of these factors are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of them are beyond our control. For a further list and description of these and other important risks and uncertainties that may affect our future operations, see Part I, Item 1A- Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which we may update in Part II, Item 1A - Risk Factors in Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q we have filed or will file thereafter. We disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward- looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or in events, conditions, or circumstances on which those expectations may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. This cautionary statement is applicable to all forward-looking statements contained in this document.
CONTACT: Media Relations, Paul Donovan, +1-508-650-8541 (office),
+1-508-667-5165 (mobile), or Investor Relations, Larry Neumann,
+1-508-650-8696 (office), both of Boston Scientific Corporation
Web site: http://www.bostonscientific.com/
http://www.ddw.org/