Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the company’s Absorb bioresorbable heart stent, making the first-of-its-kind medical device commercially available to treat people with coronary artery disease in the United States.
Absorb is the only fully dissolving stent approved for the treatment of coronary artery disease, which affects 15 million people in the United States and remains a leading cause of death worldwide, despite decades of therapeutic advances. While stents are traditionally made of metal, Abbott’s Absorb stent is made of a naturally dissolving material, similar to dissolving sutures. Absorb disappears completely in approximately three years, after it has done its job of keeping a clogged artery open and promoting healing of the treated artery segment. By contrast, metal stents are permanent implants that restrict vessel motion for the life of the person treated.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7826651-abbott-fda-approval-stent/
Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Tecnis Symfony® Intraocular Lenses for the treatment of cataracts. The first in a new category of intraocular lenses (IOLs), the Tecnis Symfony lenses are the only lenses in the United States that provide a full range of continuous high-quality vision following cataract surgery, while also mitigating the effects of presbyopia by helping people focus on near objects. The FDA approval includes a version of the lens for people with astigmatism, the Tecnis Symfony Toric IOL.
Cataracts are a common condition, with almost 4 million cataract surgeries performed each year, and that number is expected to increase.1 By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.2 However, cataracts do not just impact seniors. In 2016 it is estimated that nearly one in four cataract surgeries will be performed on people younger than 65.1 Many people who have cataracts experience other problems with their vision, such as presbyopia and astigmatism, which the Symfony lenses also address. Presbyopia, which affects most people over age 40, means people have lost the ability to focus on objects up close and often require glasses to perform near visual tasks. Astigmatism is when the cornea is misshapen, which causes blurry or distorted vision.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7870151-abbott-intraocular-lenses/
LivaNova PLC (NASDAQ:LIVN; LSE: LIVN) (“LivaNova” or the “Company”), a market-leading medical technology and innovation company, today recognizes that more than one million people in the United States with drug-resistant epilepsy continue to be treated unsuccessfully with drugs, despite the proven effectiveness of non-drug treatment options. LivaNova’s VNS Therapy®, for example, is a medical device treatment specifically designed for people with drug-resistant epilepsy that is already used by more than 85,000 people around the world.
One in three people with epilepsy has the type that is not well controlled with drugs, called drug-resistant epilepsy. For those people, prescribing more medicine is usually not the most effective option. In fact, research shows that if you haven’t found seizure freedom after your first two drugs, there is a 95 percent chance that no drug or combination of drugs will result in seizure freedom.
“Despite what we know about drug-resistant epilepsy, the majority of people affected by this condition will continue to be prescribed additional medications instead of being evaluated for surgery or seen in a specialized epilepsy facility,” said Jason Richey, president of LivaNova’s U.S. Region and general manager of the Neuromodulation Business Franchise. “This treatment gap means over one million individuals in the U.S. with undertreated epilepsy remain at risk for dangerous side effects of continued seizures, including injury, depression, memory issues and death.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7966451-livanova-vns-therapy-epilepsy/
“Someone special at St. Jude would like to say hello,” this is what Guests at Chili’s® Grill & Bar Highland Springs restaurant heard after choosing to donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® during this year’s Create-A-Pepper campaign. It’s often difficult to connect how an add-on donation at the end of a meal or coloring a pepper while at Chili’s can have an impact on the kids at St. Jude, but over the past 15 years, each donation and pepper has added up to more than $64 million to support St. Jude’s mission of Finding cures. Saving children®.
This year, Chili’s is showing how a little action can create a big impact by continuing to connect those who care with those in need of care. ChiliHeads at Highland Springs in Beaumont, Calif. surprised everyday Guests with a special thank you for their donation to St. Jude. Guests came in expecting a normal dining experience and got something completely different. After a donation, Guests received a video call from a St. Jude survivor who personally shared their story and the difference each donation makes in ensuring that no family ever receives a bill.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8227251-chilis-st-jude-create-a-pepper/
Turning your clocks ahead an hour on March 8 for the start of Daylight Savings Time may be known as the unofficial start to spring, but for many, it’s known as the day we lose an hour of sleep. As you prepare to change your clocks on Sunday, take that opportunity to evaluate your sleeping habits. The loss of that hour of sleep can turn minor sleep issues into major ones.
“When we move our clock forward or backward, our internal clock becomes out of sync with the external time,” says Dr. Daniel Shade, Board Certified Sleep Specialist and Director of the AHN Sleep Disorders Center. “The best way to combat this is to expose ourselves to light and let our bodies resynchronize.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7447951-remworks-daylight-savings-sleep-coach/
High-powered research teams supported by the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) are gearing up for an ambitious new goal: developing individualized treatment approaches for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), also known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), through their Genetics and Microbiome Research Initiatives.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/65964-ccfa-genetic-microbiome-discoveries-ibd-crohn-s-disease-ulcerative-colitis
Invuity, Inc. (NASDAQ:IVTY), an advanced medical technology company, announced today the launch of its Hidden ScarTM Surgery program designed to certify surgeons and establish Centers of Excellence at major cancer centers and hospitals across the country. This innovative program will train surgeons on advanced minimally invasive and minimal access surgical approaches that deliver optimal clinical and aesthetic outcomes for patients. As part of the company’s broader women’s health initiative, Invuity is hosting a Hidden Scar Breast Cancer Surgery training course in advance of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress.
Invuity aims to transform the surgical treatment of breast cancer with this advanced surgical approach for nipple sparing mastectomies and lumpectomies (breast conserving surgery). Hidden Scar Breast Cancer Surgery expands surgical options for patients, offering superior cosmetic outcomes that can improve their psychological and emotional recovery and enhance quality of life after surgery.1
With growing demand for less invasive alternatives to breast cancer surgery, surgeons need to operate through smaller incisions with limited fields of vision. Invuity’s illumination technology allows surgeons to access and visualize the entire breast cavity through discrete incision locations, enabling surgeons to safely and effectively treat breast cancer while preserving the natural shape of the breast and thereby minimizing and hiding the scars.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7644051-invuity-hidden-scar-breast-cancer-surgery-program/
Every spring, allergies take control of the lives of millions of Americans, affecting their work, their family time and even how well they sleep at night. Something else affects those millions of allergy sufferers, according to a new survey: big misconceptions about allergies that may keep people from getting needed relief.
To help put those misconceptions about allergies to rest, Sanofi is teaming up with science educator and television personality Adam Savage, along with allergist Dr. Neeta Ogden, to dispel them with credible information. The goal: help the 50 million allergy sufferers in America get the facts they need to understand and treat their allergies and take back control of their lives.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8255452-sanofi-allergy-misconceptions-facts-adam-savage/
The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, the premier center for celiac disease research and treatment, unveiled the I Didn’t Know video campaign, offering an inside look at the serious impact of celiac disease on patients at the 13th Anniversary gala on November 13th in New York City. The series chronicles the lives of several patients experiencing a wide range of debilitating symptoms associated with undiagnosed celiac disease, including an inability to walk, developmental delays, multiple miscarriages and infertility.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7322351-celiac-disease-center-at-columbia-university-public-service-announcements-and-gala/
Many women are familiar with the brand name BOTOX® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA), but a new study from SheSpeaks™, an online community of women, reveals what they really want to know about it.1 To address the most common questions women have – and there are nearly 10 million women who are considering treatment2 – Allergan Inc., maker of BOTOX® Cosmetic, teamed up with SheSpeaks to identify these questions and provide answers.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7334951-allergan-shespeaks-survey-reveals-what-u-s-women-really-want-to-know-about-botox-cosmetic/
Chiasma, Inc., a U.S. privately–held biopharma company developing octreotide capsules for the orphan condition acromegaly, today announced two new studies presented at the 97th Endocrine Society (ENDO) Annual Meeting in San Diego, Calif. The studies provide additional data from Chiasma’s Phase III trial and new findings on the patient burden of current injection therapies.
“We now have data to help clinicians determine whether octreotide capsules, if approved, are likely to help their patient with acromegaly maintain response,” said Shlomo Melmed, M.D., senior vice president and dean, Cedars–Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles and global study principal investigator. “Furthermore, the Phase III results show the safety and efficacy of octreotide capsules can be reliably determined within 12 weeks of initiating therapy.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7436451-endo-chiasma-clinical-data/
Patients and scientists from across the country are featured in the latest “From Hope to Cures” ad campaign launched today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which represents the country’s leading biopharmaceutical researchers and biotechnology companies.
This continuation of PhRMA’s “From Hope to Cures” campaign, first launched in January 2014, highlights the value biopharmaceutical innovation provides to patients, society and the economy. The latest ad campaign, featuring print, radio and digital advertising, highlights the stories of patients who benefit from the medicines developed by biopharmaceutical companies and the scientists who work every day to develop life-saving treatments and cures.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7350552-phrma-from-hope-to-cures/
