FDA Nod for Covidien's Kangaroo Feeding Tube - Analyst Blog

Covidien plc COV, a leading global healthcare products company, recently secured the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its Kangaroo feeding tube with Integrated Real-time Imaging System IRIS technology. Shares of Covidien rose 1.3% since the announcement to close at $69.90 yesterday.

The Kangaroo feeding tube introduced by Covidien is the first-of-its-kind camera-equipped disposable feeding tube. The device is designed to enhance patient safety by providing visual support in the placement of small bore feeding tubes – a procedure which is currently blinded.

The IRIS technology features a camera integrated with a small bore feeding tube that streams a real-time video back to the Kangaroo IRIS monitor, thus providing visual information to clinicians. This information aids them to identify key areas of a patient's anatomy during the placement of a tube. The system also enables medical professionals to save images from the live stream and make notes associated with the image.

Before the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology became available, feeding tube placement was often done blindly. Such a procedure carries the risk of misplacing the feeding tube into the patient's airway, which can potentially result in a punctured lung or even death.

The Kangaroo feeding tube with its highly advanced IRIS technology has given light to an otherwise commonplace, blinded procedure, steering it to a new direction that facilitates clinicians to ensure standard quality of care.

In addition to the FDA clearance in the U.S., the Kangaroo feeding tube with IRIS technology is also approved for use in Europe, Japan, Canada and Australia. The Kangaroo IRIS monitor is currently programmed with seven languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch.

Currently, Covidien carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the medical products industry that are worth a look include Enzymotec Ltd. ENZY, St. Jude Medical Inc. STJ and Owens & Minor Inc. OMI. Enzymotec carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while St. Jude Medical and Owens &Minor retain a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).