Trends-in-MedicineLynne Peterson,
Senior Writer
Trends-in-Medicine has no financial connections with any pharmaceutical or medical device company. The information and opinions expressed have been compiled or arrived at from sources believed to be reliable and in good faith, but no liability is assumed for information contained in this newsletter.
Copyright© 2004
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Is There A Problem With Taxus Stents? - Quick Pulse
Summary: Interventional cardiologists and cath lab managers at 11 large institutions were interviewed to determine if there is any substance to rumors of a deployment issue with Boston Scientific’s Taxus paclitaxel-eluting stent, which was approved by the FDA on March 4, 2004. They were also asked about pricing.
American College of Cardiology
Summary: Questions are increasing about the safety of AstraZeneca’s Crestor and Exanta, and cardiologists are increasingly concerned about both. Pfizer’s Lipitor beat out Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Pravachol in a head-to-head cholesterol lowering trial, and evidence is mounting that lower is better when it comes to cholesterol. Sanofi- Synthelabo appears to have a winner with Acomplia both as a diet drug and a smoking cessation aid. SCD-HeFT confirmed the benefits of ICD therapy, and it is likely CMS will expand coverage, but the trial results raised enough questions that CMS may not grant reimbursement for a broad MADIT-2 indication. A raft of new data helped Johnson & Johnson steal some of the drug-eluting stent fanfare from Boston Scientific, which got its Taxus stent approved just before ACC. In addition, questions were raised about safety in the TAXUS-V trial and Taxus pricing. J&J’s Cypher marketing deal with Guidant raised eyebrows, but sources weren’t sure how helpful it would be.
Glaucoma Update- Quick Pulse
Summary: Coming Soon...
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
Summary: Excitement is running high over artificial discs, which could take as much as 30% or more of the fusion market. BMP usage is increasing, but mostly on-label, not offlabel because of cost and hospital resistance, which has increased. Minimally invasive surgery is a big deal, not just hype or a marketing gimmick. However, the procedures touted by Zimmer and Stryker are technically difficult, so experts expect – and hope – only the busiest doctors will do them. Ceramicon- ceramic hip implants are gaining popularity, but breakage and cost are concerns. Many doctors believe metal-onmetal implants are better, but the safety of the metal ions they release is unknown. Highly cross-linked polyethylene hips are the least expensive, but there is no longterm data on them and wear is a concern. Several new kyphoplasty products have become available or are on the horizon, but none appears likely to unseat Kyphon as king of the hill. The spine market does not appear to be expanding, but more referrals may come from oncologists as marketing to those doctors is stepped up.
American Association for Cancer Research
Summary: It was hard to find any really hot topics or buzz words at the meeting this year, but the talk appeared to concentrate on: Vaccines: but really effective ones are considered 5-10 years away. Diagnostics: There was excitement over Arcturus’ Paradise test to determine which women are tamoxifen responders and a NCI-developed assay to detect ovarian cancer recurrence, but not for Immunicon’s assay to measure circulating tumor cells. HDACs: There are a ream of them, but none is a slam-dunk blockbuster. Molecular profiling: Expect to hear more about using this to predict therapeutic outcome.
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