Boston Scientific Corporation announced that it has received a license for the sale of its Carotid Wallstent Monorail Endoprosthesis in Canada. The company reported that Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate, the authority that regulates pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices, licensed the use of all stent sizes of the Carotid Wallstent system. The company said it plans to launch the product immediately in Canada.

"The Carotid Wallstent system represents a first-of-its-kind treatment option in Canada for carotid artery disease," said Paul LaViolette, Boston Scientific senior vice president, cardiovascular. "This is an important step in our goal to make this important less-invasive procedure available to physicians and their patients worldwide."

The carotid arteries, located on either side of the neck, are the main conduits for blood flow to the brain. When narrowing occurs, patients become at risk for stroke. In Canada, approximately 200,000 people suffer annually from carotid artery disease.

The Carotid Wallstent Monorail Endoprosthesis is a self-expanding stent mounted on a rapid exchange deployment system, designed to open the carotid artery and improve blood flow to the brain. The device has been granted CE Mark and is commercially available in Europe and other international markets.