Bioresorbable Stent Shows Total Endothelialization at One Month

January 5, 2010 – In vivo and in vitro data released yesterday shows a new bioresorbable stent platform allows for complete endothelialization with little inflammation after one month.

These data on the Arterial Remodeling Technologies (ART) polylactic acid (PLA) stent were published in the current special supplement of EuroIntervention. The paper is authored by Antoine Lafont, M.D., Ph.D., head, interventional cardiology department, Georges Pompidou Hospital in Paris.

“The ART bioresorbable stent showed a remarkable ability to be deployed without recoil or breakage. At one month, endothelialization was 100 percent completed. Additionally important, inflammation, smooth muscle cell proliferation and collagen accumulation were equivalent to what typically occurs after balloon angioplasty,” said Dr. Lafont. “At six months, the ART stent was completely integrated into the artery wall, thus preventing any strut migration secondary to the bioresorption process. Further, peak PLA resorption did not result in an increase or even persistence of inflammation as it has been previously reported with other bioresorbable polymer stents. Finally, inflammation and smooth muscle cell proliferation were almost not detectable at six months, resulting in no hyperplasia — in other words, no in-stent restenosis.”

The data published in EuroIntervention show that ART’s bioresorbable stent provides the requisite initial mechanical scaffolding to resist recoil. Then, as it dissolves over time in, remodeling returns to the artery. The stent caused little inflammation in the artery, which the company said might eliminate the need for anti-proliferative drugs on the stent.

EuroIntervention Journal is an international, English language, peer-reviewed journal covering percutaneous and surgical cardiovascular interventions.

For more information: www.art-stent.com