Cordis Corporation Release: Excellent Results Seen In Study Of Coronary Bifurcations Treated With The CYPHER(R) Sirolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent

DALLAS, Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Complex patient cases with multi-vessel disease showed positive outcomes at 12 months in bifurcation lesions treated with the CYPHER(R) Stent when compared to another group of patients without bifurcations. These new findings from the ARTS II Bifurcation Sub-Analysis were presented today at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions.

Bifurcation lesions involve blockages of both a main coronary artery and an adjoining side branch vessel, resulting in a more difficult to treat lesion.

Dr. Antonio Colombo presented the results from the analysis, which involved a total of 607 patients from throughout Europe -- 324 with bifurcations and 283 without bifurcation lesions. At one-year follow-up, the patients with bifurcations treated with the CYPHER(R) Stent had a similar Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebral Event Free Rate (MACCE) to those treated patients without bifurcations (89.2 percent vs. 90.1 percent; P value: 0.79) and a comparable death rate (0.9 percent vs. 1.1 percent; P value: 1.00).

“The results of this analysis are promising given the challenging patient cases with multi-vessel disease that were studied further,” stated Dr. Dennis Donohoe, worldwide vice president of clinical and regulatory affairs, Cordis Corporation. “We continue to see impressive data with the CYPHER(R) Stent across a broad range of lesion types, from the simplest to the most complex.”

About the CYPHER(R) Stent

The CYPHER(R) Stent has been chosen by cardiologists worldwide to treat more than 1.5 million patients with coronary artery disease. The safety and efficacy of the device is supported by a robust clinical trial program that includes more than 40 studies, inclusive of independent clinical trials, that examine the performance of the CYPHER(R) Stent in a broad range of patients. Developed and manufactured by Cordis Corporation, the CYPHER(R) Stent is currently available in more than 80 countries and has the longest-term clinical follow-up of any drug-eluting stent. The CYPHER SELECT(TM) Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent, which is the first next generation drug-eluting stent, was launched in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Canada in 2003. More information about the CYPHER(R) Stent can be found at http://www.cypherusa.com.

About Cordis Corporation

Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, is a worldwide leader in developing and manufacturing interventional vascular technology. Through the company’s innovation, research and development, physicians worldwide are better able to treat the millions of patients who suffer from vascular disease.

Cordis Corporation has entered into an exclusive worldwide license with Wyeth for the localized delivery of sirolimus in certain fields of use, including delivery via vascular stenting. Sirolimus, the active drug released for the stent, is marketed by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, under the name Rapamune(R). Rapamune is a trademark of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

The third-party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

Cordis Corporation

CONTACT: Media Contacts: Terri Mueller of Cordis Corporation, Cell:+1-305-903-9980, tmueller@crdus.jnj.com; or Todd Ringler of Edelman, Cell:+1-617-872-1235, todd.ringler@edelman.com

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