Coronary surgery -- keeping the...( y needed. Extensive testing has led to ...),Health

Blue Medical Devices focused on the drugs development, their interaction with the polymer and designing and validating the dosage as well as the elution rates and determining the effect of bio-absorption. Their partner, Creganna Medical Devices from Ireland, developed the process of applying the biodegradable polymer to the metal surface of the stent, with or without a drug component.

Both partners foresee a strong future for the product, which should be available in mid-2007. The projected market could reach 30% of the total stent market outside the US; worth 800m. Blue Medical has increased its workforce from 30 to 50 in two years and expects to employ 150 people by 2008. "As well as substantial financial benefit, participating in a EUREKA project has given the project a much higher profile and status, enabling strong international working relationships to be developed," believes Ronald Horvers, project coordinator at Blue Medical Devices.

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Contact: Sally Horspool
sally.horspool@es.eureka.be
32-277-70963
EUREKA
20-Sep-2006