Novel stent promotes healing of vessel wall after implantation

Recently published data have shown more favorable results at 1 year for the Genous Stent, including the composite primary endpoint of cardiac death, MI or target lesion revascularization, compared with the bare metal stent.

The Genous Stent (OrbusNeich) features a patented endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capture technology that, according to a press release, promotes the accelerated natural healing of the vessel wall after stent implantation. This technology, the release stated, consists of an antibody surface coating that attracts EPCs circulating in the blood to the device, forming an endothelial layer that provides protection against thrombosis and modulates restenosis. The stent, released to the market in 2005, is now commercially available in more than 60 countries.

“The Genous Stent is a first-of-its kind technology. It uses a pro-healing mechanism that recruits the patients’ own recuperative abilities to control the healing response following stent implantation,” Stephen Rowland, PhD, vice president of research and development for OrbusNeich, said in an interview. “Company-sponsored clinical studies have demonstrated the technology to have utility and application for patients that cannot tolerate prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy or for indications where the current technology is not effective or safety is a concern, such as [acute coronary syndrome], diabetes and for the elderly, in addition to its benefit on bifurcation lesions.”

In early December, the benefit on bifurcation lesions was documented in an online study published in Atherosclerosis. In the study, 178 consecutive patients with a de novo bifurcation lesion were treated with an EPC capturing stent, whereas 465 consecutive patients were treated with an equivalent bare metal stent. At 1 year, the cumulative primary endpoint of cardiac death, MI or target lesion revascularization was 12.4% in the EPC capturing stent group vs. 17.2% in the bare metal stent group (HR=0.70; 95% CI, 0.44-1.12).

“What we saw with our approach with the Genous EPC capturing stent is that the clinical outcome is quite good,” Robbert J. de Winter, MD, professor of clinical cardiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, and investigator on the study, told Cardiology Today. “What it confirms is that, in many instances, a single stent approach for bifurcated lesions is the correct approach. In the majority of cases, just one single stent in the main vessel is sufficient. This has also been confirmed in randomized studies involving bare metal stents and drug-eluting stents.”

One of the reasons de Winter prefers working with this stent in clinical practice is that “the design is such that access to side branches is good,” he said. “This particular stent design is nice because you can open up the cells to the side branch to a large diameter, so in most of the cases, we are successful in opening up the side branch and keeping it open.” – by Brian Ellis

For more information:

• Beijk M. Atherosclerosis. 2010;213:525-531.

Disclosure: Dr. de Winter reports no relevant financial disclosures.