Medical Products

Medical Products

Key franchises

Abbott drives innovation in the fast-paced medical technology market. Our medical products are advancing disease diagnosis, diabetes management and the treatment of vascular disease.

Medical Products - Year in Review

In 2008, our medical products business introduced new products and advanced a promising pipeline in high-growth, technology-driven markets. Most notably, we launched our market-leading Xience V drug-eluting stent (DES) in the United States and introduced our second no-coding glucose meter, FreeStyle Freedom Lite.

Vascular Devices: breadth, depth and leadership
With three distinct vascular segments — coronary, endovascular and vessel closure — and an industry-leading pipeline, Abbott has established itself as a leader in vascular care. In 2008, we received FDA approval for Xience V in the United States for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Xience V is the only drug-eluting stent to demonstrate superiority in reducing vessel renarrowing over another drug-eluting stent in two randomized, pivotal clinical trials. Xience V quickly became the U.S. market leader, as physicians embraced its safety, world-class deliverability and efficacy. Xience V is also the number one DES in Europe. In 2008, we submitted Xience V for approval in Japan.

Coronary artery disease is the most common type of heart disease. It occurs when arteries that supply blood to the heart narrow or become blocked by a buildup of plaque — cholesterol or other fatty deposits that accumulate on the inner wall of the artery. Drug-eluting stents are tiny metal scaffolds placed in diseased arteries to keep them open and reestablish blood flow — a treatment alternative to open-heart surgery. Xience V features Abbott’s market-leading Multi-Link Vision coronary stent platform and everolimus, a drug that reduces tissue growth.

Beyond Xience V, Abbott is developing a next-generation DES to further improve deliverability, especially in more complex anatomy and longer lesion lengths. We also have a fully bioabsorbable DES in early-stage development. It’s made of polylactic acid, which is absorbed by the body. It functions much like a metallic stent, but absorbs over time into the walls of treated arteries. Abbott’s bioabsorbable DES program is the most advanced in the industry.

Abbott’s endovascular business offers a portfolio of carotid stents, embolic protection devices, balloons, guide wires and vessel closure devices. Carotid stenting is a less-invasive alternative to surgery for patients at risk of stroke from a partially blocked carotid artery, the major blood vessel in the neck that supplies blood to the brain. Our Xact and RX Acculink stents are the most widely used devices to treat diseased carotid arteries in the United States.

As a pioneer in closure technologies, Abbott offers products designed to facilitate secure closure of the vascular access site following catheterizations. In 2008, we launched the next generation of our novel clip-based technology, the StarClose SE, which enables the operator to close the femoral artery securely in a matter of seconds.

Diabetes Care: improving disease management
Globally, more than 170 million people have diabetes, and the prevalence is expected to increase at an alarming rate over the next 10 years. Diabetes is a leading cause of kidney failure, blindness and amputations, and a major cause of heart disease and stroke. People with diabetes can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications through careful management.

Abbott is meeting the needs of this large and growing patient population by continuing to introduce new blood glucose meters that are easy to use, require small blood samples and provide fast and accurate results.

Our new FreeStyle Freedom Lite blood glucose meter improves patient convenience by eliminating the manual coding required by other meters.

In 2008, in the United States, we launched the FreeStyle Navigator continuous glucose monitoring system, which provides real-time glucose readings and projects glucose trends in adults. Continuous results from the FreeStyle Navigator system allow users to more proactively manage their diabetes.

Laboratory Diagnostics: a leading presence worldwide
With nearly 70,000 customers in more than 100 countries, Abbott is a global leader in clinical laboratory diagnostics. Health care professionals use Abbott’s diagnostic tests for a variety of reasons — to protect the blood supply, monitor medication levels and provide information to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. We continue to transform the practice of medical diagnostics through innovative products and automated laboratory systems that lower costs and improve patient care.

Our broad line of diagnostic instruments and tests is used worldwide in hospitals, large reference labs, small labs and clinics to diagnose a range of serious health concerns, including infectious diseases, cancer, diabetes and cardiac issues.

Our Architect family of immunochemistry instruments showcases state-of-the-art diagnostic testing technology to help improve productivity in laboratories. Lab efficiency is an important goal because faster test results can ultimately lead to quicker patient diagnosis. In 2008, we introduced the Architect i1000_SR analyzer, a system designed for smaller-volume clinical laboratories. In 2009, we plan to introduce the Architect c4000, a clinical chemistry analyzer for small to midsize labs.

In hematology (a science related to the blood), we introduced the CELL-DYN Emerald instrument, a high-performing, affordable solution for small to midsize clinical laboratories. It joins a full portfolio of CELL-DYN hematology analyzers, designed to meet the challenges of any lab.

Abbott’s blood-screening instruments and tests are used worldwide to ensure the safety of the world’s donated blood supply. The Abbott Prism blood analyzer is used in more than 30 countries — nearly half of which use the system to screen 100 percent of their blood donations for infectious diseases, including HIV. In 2008, outside the United States, Abbott launched a blood-screening test for Chagas disease, a tropical parasitic disease endemic in Latin America.

Point of Care Diagnostics: faster diagnosis, better care
Our i-STAT point-of-care system provides physicians with the information they need to make lifesaving decisions in the intensive and acute care settings of the hospital.

Our broad point-of-care portfolio features tests for cardiac diagnosis and routine diagnostic assessments, including our i-STAT Chem8+ test, which combines eight tests from the most commonly requested chemistry panel on a single cartridge. The i-STAT system is now used in one out of every three U.S. hospitals and in more than 500 emergency rooms.

Molecular Diagnostics: advancing technology to improve patient outcomes
Molecular diagnostics — the analysis of DNA and RNA at the molecular level — is a fast-growing market, driven by our growing understanding of the human genome. Our tests provide physicians with critical information based on abnormal genes. Their ability to provide highly accurate detection of viruses and bacteria allows for earlier diagnosis, selection of appropriate therapies and monitoring of disease progression.

Abbott’s product portfolio includes the m2000, an automated instrument for molecular testing based on real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technology. We market the m2000 in the United States with tests for HIV and chlamydia/gonorrhea. Internationally, the m2000 offers a complete menu of infectious disease assays, including HPV (human papillomavirus), the most common sexually transmitted disease.

We continue to actively explore opportunities in the area of pharmacogenomics — the practice of identifying which patients are likely to benefit the most from a specific treatment option. For example, our PathVysion HER-2 assay is a DNA-based test that identifies which patients are likely to benefit from Herceptin, a targeted breast cancer therapy. We are working to develop a similar test to identify patients likely to benefit from certain tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a class of drugs for select patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

In early 2009, Abbott acquired Ibis Biosciences, a subsidiary of Isis Pharmaceuticals, to expand its molecular diagnostic research capabilities and market opportunities. Traditional diagnostic testing methods require the user to anticipate possible outcomes when running a test. The Ibis T5000 Biosensor System does not require this step to detect and characterize a broad array of pathogens. It is capable of identifying virtually all bacteria, viruses and fungi. In addition, the system can analyze human DNA during molecular testing. The T5000 has numerous applications, including clinical research, epidemiological surveillance and forensics, and offers significant potential for human diagnostics.

Animal Health: leveraging our expertise
Abbott is advancing veterinary medicine and bringing value to small-animal veterinarians and pet owners by leveraging our strengths in human health. We market the AlphaTrak blood glucose monitoring system for cats and dogs, which, based on our FreeStyle blood glucose monitoring technology, provides a fast, accurate response using only a minute blood sample. Our surgical suite product line addresses veterinary needs in anesthesia, fluid therapy and medical devices.