Boston Scientific Corp.(BSX): Magnetic resonance imaging-compatible implantable devices helped Boston Scientific avoid the fate of its rival St. Jude Medical Inc., which has struggled to grow its cardiac rhythm management revenues without MR-compatible devices in most markets. Boston Scientific’s CRM division revenues grew 5% on an operational basis in the second quarter of 2016, helped by the US FDA approval of the ImageReady MR-conditional pacing system, including the Ingevity MRI pacing leads, and the CE mark of the Emblem MRI subcutaneous ICD system, also announced in May. (Also see "APPROVALS ANALYSIS: Big Month For Cardio Devices, But Down Overall" - Medtech Insight, 6 May, 2016.) However, Wells Fargo analyst Larry Biegelsen points out in a July 29 note that “[CRM] growth continued to lag the other businesses [in BSX] due to US product gaps on the high-voltage side.”
The company’s cardiovascular division grew 13% during the quarter, helped by 12% growth of the interventional cardiology business led by sales of the Synergy drug-eluting stent. Boston Scientific says Synergy...