The FDA is considering approval of a stent to treat clogged arteries in the thighs.
The medical device is coated with the drug paclitaxel which helps prevents re-clogging, its maker Cook Medical said.
In 2009, Europe approved the Zilver PTX as its first drug-coated stent to treat peripheral arteries, a condition that affects up to 30 million people every year. The device employs an elastic alloy of nickel and titanium and is intended for use above the knee.
Cook Medical’s noncoated Zilver stent already has been approved by the FDA. It is used to treat pelvic arteries.