Surgical Sealants, Glues, Wound Closure, Anti-Adhesion, Worldwide; MedMarket Diligence Report

MedMarket Diligence tracks wound closure, hemostasis and anti-adhesion technologies and forecasts this market in a forthcoming worldwide report, with insight into market introduction, growth, competition and business opportunity.

Foothill Ranch, CA, November 18, 2008 -- Opportunities for products in wound closure, hemostasis and anti-adhesion products are plentiful for established and emerging companies, driven by innovation in product formulation and penetration of more caseload, including growth in more medical and surgical specialties. The market for these products is also growing through their expansion globally, with products being introduced and finding clinical acceptance in the U.S., Europe, Central and South America and other markets globally.

MedMarket Diligence monitors and identifies emergence and growth of novel technologies in wound closure, hemostasis and anti-adhesion and applies its industry awareness and analysis to providing insight into market introduction, growth, competition and opportunity worldwide. The products, current and forecast markets, companies and opportunities are detailed in this 2008 report from MedMarket Diligence. The report details the markets worldwide, with detailed geographic segmentation, for surgical sealants, glues, hemostats, sutures, tapes, and other wound closure technologies, as well as products for the prevention of post-surgical adhesion.

"The use of these biologicals and other product forms, once representing a minor share of wound closure, has now moved into the mainstream, with sealant, closure, hemostasis and combinations of uses by these products eclipsing use by traditional wound closure devices," says Patrick Driscoll, president of MedMarket Diligence. According to Driscoll, the market is also experiencing increased competition and market evolution as new products are introduced and some consolidation is taking place even while the number and types of procedures target by these products proliferate. A number of market leaders have solidified their positions within the surgical closure and securement markets through successful internal development programs and through technology partnerships with innovative vendors of next generation technologies.

MedMarket Diligence's comprehensive analysis of the market for surgical sealants, glues/adhesives, hemostats, tapes, sutures, and anti-adhesion products is a worldwide report that is a must have tool for market planning, strategic analysis and positioning in this large and growing market. The report details the products on the market, their current and forecast penetration of clinical application, new products under development and their status, the current and forecast market for products by major country markets worldwide, and the current and hopeful competitors in the market and their positions, strengths and strategies. The report provides specific forecasts and shares of the worldwide market by segment for the U.S., Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, BeNeLux), Latin America, Japan and Rest of World.

The report is scheduled for publication in early December 2008. The report is described with table of contents (list of exhibits pending) at http://mediligence.com/rpt/rpt-s175.hm. A pre-paid discount is available and the report may be purchased at https://www.mediligence.com/store/page29.html or via order form (http://www.mediligence.com/order_forms/s175_order.pdf).

Contact Information

MedMarket Diligence, LLC
Patrick Driscoll
949-859-3401
patrick@mediligence.com
www.mediligence.com

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Public Citizen Petitions FDA to Ban Avandia, Cites Life-Threatening Toxicity as Top Diabetes Associations Advise Against Use

Risks Outweigh Benefits of the Diabetes Drug; Safer Alternatives Are Available

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Public Citizen - Oct. 30, 2008 - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should immediately ban the dangerous diabetes drug Avandia because it can cause death from liver failure and has many other life-threatening risks that far outweigh its benefits, Public Citizen said in a petition filed today with the agency.

New research released by Public Citizen about the drug, used to treat Type 2 diabetes, comes as a working group with representatives from the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, unanimously advised against using Avandia, whose generic name is rosiglitazone, because of their concerns about the drug's risks. This statement appears in the newly published issue of Diabetes Care, the ADA's peer-reviewed medical journal. Despite a significant decrease in its use since publication of a study linking it to increased risk of heart attacks, approximately 10,000 prescriptions a day are still filled for this unacceptably dangerous drug, which is sold by Glaxo-SmithKline.

Public Citizen has identified 14 cases of Avandia-induced liver failure, including 12 deaths. These cases were derived from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System after careful review of the agency's MedWatch forms, which are submitted to the agency when adverse drug reactions are suspected.

Liver toxicity is only the most recently noted danger of Avandia; Public Citizen has encouraged diabetes sufferers to avoid taking the drug because it increases the risk of heart attack approximately 40 percent, doubles the risk of heart failure and bone fractures, and increases the risk of anemia and vision loss from macular edema, a swelling of the retina caused by fluids accumulating in the eye. There were 39 times more reports of macular edema per million prescriptions filled for Avandia than for an older diabetes drug, glipizide.

Avandia prescriptions fell sharply following a May 2007 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine connecting the drug with increased heart attack risk. In 2006, the number of people taking the drug peaked at 13.2 million. Since then, that number has dropped to 4.6 million for the last full year. This means that about 10,000 prescriptions a day are still being filled for this dangerous drug. 

"The scientific consensus against Avandia is overwhelming," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group. "The timing of these findings should give the FDA the momentum it needs to act swiftly to prevent further needless deaths and health damage by banning this drug."

Safer, more effective drugs for Type 2 diabetes include metformin (brand name Glucophage) and glipizide (brand name Glucotrol). Pioglitazone (sold as Actos), a drug in the same family as Avandia, is not recommended, as it shares most of Avandia's toxicities - except for the risk of heart attack - and   the ADA does not number it among the preferred therapies for most diabetics.

The full petition is available at http://www.citizen.org/publications/release.cfm?ID=7614.

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