Abbott Launches Endovascular Trial of Investigational Esprit Therapy

The Esprit drug eluting BVS is designed specifically for use in peripheral arteries and is made of polylactide, the same proven biocompatible material used in the company's Absorb drug eluting BVS for coronary artery disease.

Abbott has launched ESPRIT I, a first-of-its-kind clinical trial in Europe evaluating the safety and performance of the novel Esprit drug eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) for the treatment of blockages in the superficial femoral arteries (SFA) and iliac arteries that have resulted in claudication (leg pain upon walking).

Claudication is the most common symptom in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), and is associated with diminished physical activity and poor quality of life for patients. The SFA and iliac arteries, located in the upper leg and pelvis, are common areas of blockage in patients with PAD.

The first patient was treated with an Esprit BVS as part of the trial by Marc Bosiers, M.D., head of the Department of Vasc