The Hindu Business Line : Occam plans to launch new drug-eluting stent

THE Netherlands-based Occam International, a holding company of the US pharmaceutical major, Sun Biomedical Ltd, is in the process of commercially launching its drug-eluting stent, `Axxion', for the first time in India.

The company will be marketing the stent through its Indian distributor, the Mumbai-based Shruti Medi Sciences.

Occam, which has a turnover of $25 million, will be launching this product in China and Europe in September this year, according to a senior official of the company.

Axxion is different from other drug-eluting stents in India in that it has two coatings.

The first coating on the metal is made up of Calix, which is the molecule that is present in the outside layer of every cell in the human body.

"Because of the bio-compatible nature of this coating, the stent is accepted quickly by the body," Mr R.S. Srivastav, Managing Director of Shruti Medi Science, pointed out.

The second coating is made of the drug Paclitaxel, which inhibits smooth muscle proliferation and migration to prevent restenosis.

"The stent will be of major help to those suffering from coronary artery diseases, as it would prevent possible complications after the drug, Paclitaxel, has eluted. We plan to market about three to four thousand of these stents in the current year," according to Mr Srivastav.

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