St. Jude Launches PressureWire X Guidewire Technology In Europe

St. Jude Medical, Inc.

revealed that it launched its PressureWire X Guidewire fractional flow reserve Measurement system in the Europe following the CE Mark approval. According to the company, it was designed to identify the severity of narrowings in the coronary arteries of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), FFR measurement enables for a more effective assessment of coronary lesions. St. Jude said that it would result in more accurate diagnosis. The company will also demonstrate the new PressureWire X guidewire technology at the EuroPCR 2016 meeting that is being held May 17-20 in Paris. The PressureWire X guidewire European launch included a measured rollout to targeted countries throughout the current year. The company's chief medical officer and VP of global medical affairs, Mark Carlson, said, "St. Jude Medical strives to provide physicians with fractional flow reserve pressure guidewire options that are backed by clinical data and match the handling performance of conventional workhorse PCI guidewires, which is a combination that we have always prioritized in designing and developing the PressureWire series of FFR guidewires. The new PressureWire X guidewire shows our dedication to providing physicians with cost-effective, easy-to-use technologies that aid them in making the best treatment decisions for their patients." Commenting on the product, Belgium-based CVC Aalst's Bernard De Bruyne, reacted by saying, "Fractional flow reserve has become an indispensable tool for assessing coronary lesions and making informed treatment decisions during percutaneous coronary intervention. The improved design of the new PressureWire X guidewire tip will simplify the fractional flow reserve procedure by enabling access to lesions in patients with tortuous, complex anatomy." St. Jude said that PressureWire FFR guidewire measurement supported more accurate lesion assessment in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to help physicians make more informed treatment decisions for their patients. The company indicated that the newly launched PressureWire X guidewire offered enhanced durability and improved handling in either a cabled or wireless configuration, both with the accuracy, as well as, reliability physicians need when treating patients with CAD. The stock traded at $76.09 in the pre-market trading unchanged.