Panjim, Goa, March 19, 2007: More than 170 cardiologists from Italy, India and the US convened at the Interventional Cardiology Summit held at Goa in India. The event was a learning forum for doctors, who shared their experiences and gained an insight into the emerging technologies and breakthroughs in interventional cardiology.

The two-day event held between March 17 and 18 saw many interventional cardiologists such as Dr Cindy Grines from the US, Dr Antonio Colombo from Italy, and Dr Nishit Choksi, Dr Kirit Patel, Dr B K Goyal, Dr Brian Pinto and Dr Udhay Khanolkar from India share their thoughts on the increasing use of stents to manage cardiovascular diseases.

Surgeons and doctors discussed the various stent application procedures and debated over the acceptance drug eluting stents despite the controversies indicating the restenosis complication post the stent implantation. Another point of discussion was the use of Bare Metal Stent (BMS) vis-à-vis Drug Eluting Stents (DES) in cardiac patients.

Leading Indian cardiologist Dr Brian Pinto said, “The incidence of diabetes is very high amongst Indians. Over 50 percent of all coronary artery disease patients in India suffer from diabetes. Also, because of the genetic background, Indians develop long blockages in small arteries. Cardiologists in India tend to use drug eluting stents and they become an indispensable choice for managing the disease.”

Dr Rembert Pogge von Strandmann, Director of clinical research and communications at EuroChor, said, “I see tremendous future in the drug eluting stents. The technology is undergoing major evolution and the target is to make the device more patient friendly and avoid any complications in stent implantation.”

Dr Michael Orlowski, CEO of EuroChor GmbH, said, “The future will lie in drug eluting stents. Extensive research and clinical trials will take place to evolve better stents that avoid thrombosis after its application.”

Dr Orlowski has developed the second generation stent with a biodegradable polymer that is made from a natural source of poly lactic acid like milk. The poly lactic acid acts as the drug delivery agent. The biodegradable polymer with the drug is then coated on to the stent. Unlike other drug coated stents, which have a synthetic polymer to carry the drug, DES with a biodegradable polymer poses less risk of clot formation after stent implantation. This type of stent is gaining popularity among Indian cardiologists.

He has also initiated the development of a drug eluting coronary balloon dilatation catheter named DIOR. The drug delivery device, which delivers an antiplatelet agent called paclitaxel to remove the plaque developed at a previously implanted stent, recently has received the CE mark approval in Europe.

EuroChor has begun the process to bring the DIOR device to India, and simultaneously seeking FDA approval. Based on clinical trials in Germany the company has approached the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for approvals.

A third generation stent is also in the pipeline. Dr Orlowksi has developed a combination of drug eluting balloon with cobalt chromium bare metal stent. He claims that this device is one-of-its-kind and is awaiting CE approval in the European Union by the end of March 2007. Also, researchers in the medical technology field are developing a completely biodegradable stent in which the metal in the stent is avoided.

The incidence of cardiovascular disease in India has considerably risen since 1960. It was estimated that about four percent of the adult population was suffering from heart diseases in 1960. Presently, the number has almost tripled raising it to about 11 percent in 2007. About 80 million people are said to be suffering from cardiovascular diseases in India.

The summit summarized Indian cardiologists’ interest in exploiting stents. A lot of clinical trial on stent application is set to happen in India and other South Asian Countries.

The event was sponsored and supported by stent manufacturer EuroChor GmbH (a subsidiary of Opto Circuits India Ltd).