Medtronic (MDT) Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft Results Impress
Medical technology provider Medtronic plc MDT recently revealed favorable results from its VALOR II study which demonstrated the durability and clinical efficacy of Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft System in treating patients suffering from thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA). We believe that this development will help Medtronic bolster its footprint in the multi-billion dollar worth global interventional cardiology and peripheral vascular devices market.
The study data, incorporating outcomes of five-year patient follow-up, was presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the New England Society for Vascular Surgery in Newport, R.I.
TAA is an abnormal formation in weakened parts of the aorta which can be life-threatening if the bulge ruptures. Approximately 60,000 lives were claimed by this complication in the U.S. alone. Traditionally, patients diagnosed with TAA in pre-rupture condition are treated with stent grafts or invasive surgery.
However, invasive surgeries are risky in certain circumstances depending on the patients’ age, physical state and presence of other co-morbid conditions. In contrast, Medtronic’s Valiant Thoracic Stent Grafting System allows physicians to offer innovative and minimally invasive treatment to such patients.
According to management, the five-year data from this VALOR II Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft System Pivotal Study demonstrated a low rate of aneurysm-related mortality and rare incidences of rupture or conversion in comparison to invasive surgery.
Evidently 94.8% of the patients involved in this study, were successfully treated with the Valiant Graft System, while only 1.3% of the patients were affected by ruptures and only one patient needed to undergo open surgery. Moreover, 89.3% of the patients witnessed stable or decreased aneurysm size.
So far, over 70,000 patients have been successfully treated with Medtronic’s Valiant stent graft system, which demonstrates this device’s already proven efficacy. The recently announced five-year results from the VALOR II study further add a feather to that cap.
According to Markets and Markets research firm’s estimate, the interventional cardiology and peripheral vascular devices market will reach a worth of $26.72 billion by 2019, reflecting CAGR growth of 7.4%. We expect Medtronic to capture larger share of this market potential, backed by the favorable results from the study mentioned above.
Further, during its first quarter of fiscal 2016, Medtronic’s aortic business witnessed a number of organic and inorganic developments, including the first implant of its next generation Endurant AAA stent graft platform, initiation of the U.S. feasibility clinical study for the valiant LSA branch thoracic stent graft platform, acquisition of the Aptus Endo Anchor product line and the initiation of a joint development and staged acquisition agreement with Arsenal Medical to commercialize the company's novel and aneurysmal sac billing pump technology in AAA stent grafting applications.
Against this shinning backdrop, we believe that the favorable VALOR II study results will boost Medtronic’s profits from the aortic business.
Currently, Medtronic has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked medical product stocks are Enzymotec Ltd. ENZY, ICU Medical, Inc. ICUI and NuVasive, Inc. NUVA. All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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