Abbott announced three-year data from the first 30 patients in the first phase of the Absorb clinical trial, demonstrating that its fully bioabsorbable drug eluting coronary stent successfully treated coronary artery disease and was absorbed into the walls of treated arteries. Patients in this first phase of the Absorb trial experienced no stent thrombosis (blood clots) out to three years and no new major adverse cardiac events (MACE1) between six months and three years (3.6 per cent at three years). These results were presented at the 2009 American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions.

To build upon the promising results of the Absorb trial, Abbott is initiating a large-scale trial called Absorb Extend, which will enrol approximately 1,000 patients from up to 100 centres in Europe, Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America. Absorb Extend is a single-arm study designed to further evaluate the performance of Abbott's proprietary fully bioabsorbable stent technology. The study will enrol patients with more complex coronary artery disease and is slated to begin enrolling before the end of the year.

"Abbott's bioabsorbable stent has the potential to be a major breakthrough for coronary artery disease patients. The data show that patients continue to do well three years after treatment with the bioabsorbable coronary stent,” said Patrick W Serruys, professor of interventional cardiology at the Thoraxcentre, Erasmus University Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and principal investigator for the Absorb trial. "The strong results confirm my belief that bioabsorbable technology is the next revolution in interventional cardiology."

Abbott also announced that patient enrolment is complete for the second phase of the ABSORB trial. The second phase of the Absorb clinical trial enrolled 101 additional patients from 12 centers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and incorporated device enhancements designed to improve deliverability and vessel support.

Abbott is the only company with three-year clinical data evaluating the safety and performance of a fully bioabsorbable drug eluting coronary stent. Abbott's bioabsorbable everolimus eluting coronary scaffold is made of polylactide, a proven biocompatible material that is commonly used in medical implants such as absorbable sutures. As with a metallic coronary stent, Abbott's bioabsorbable technology is designed to restore blood flow by propping open a clogged vessel, and to provide support until the blood vessel heals. Unlike a metallic stent, however, a bioabsorbable scaffold is designed to be slowly metabolized by the body and is completely absorbed over time.

"Abbott continues to make advancements with its promising bioabsorbable technology," said Charles A Simonton, FACC, FSCAI, divisional vice president, Medical Affairs, and chief medical officer, Abbott Vascular. "The second phase of the Absorb trial enrolled very quickly, which is a testament to the excitement among the clinical community around the potential shown with this technology. We look forward to starting the Absorb Extend trial to further evaluate promising attributes of our fully bioabsorbable technology in a broader patient population."