Boston Scientific TAXUS VI stent data

In the European double-blind TAXUS VI trial in 448 patients at high risk of restenosis, the moderate-release formulation of BSX's Taxus Express paclitaxel-eluting stent met the primary endpoint of significantly lower target vessel revascularization than bare metal stents. In the nine-month trial in patients with long de novo lesions, those receiving the Taxus stent had target vessel revascularization of 9.1%, compared with 19.4% for patients receiving the control stent (p=0.0027). The study also showed a target lesion revascularization rate, or retreatment rate, of 6.8% in the Taxus group compared with 18.9% in the control group (p=0.0001).

Safety, as measured by major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rates, was comparable between patient groups (16.4% for Taxus and 22.5% for control). Results were presented at the Paris Course on Revascularization. ...