Abbott wins innovation award for Absorb vascular scaffold

Abbott has been presented with an industry accolade for the innovative design of its Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold.

The new device has been named the winner of the medical devices category in the 2011 Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards, based on the advanced technology used in the product.

Absorb is an implantable device that can open blocked arteries to restore blood flow, offering support to the vessel for up to two years before dissolving, leaving the body clear of any permanent implants.

It is the first drug-eluting device of its kind for coronary artery disease, with this award marking the fourth time Abbott has been recognised at the Technology Innovation Awards in five years.

Robert Hance, senior vice-president for Abbott's vascular division, said: "We are pleased that this innovation, which has been developed in the US over nearly a decade, has the prospect of advancing patient care around the globe."

This comes after the company began a new clinical study of its Xience coronary stent systems earlier this month, in order to gauge their benefits compared to surgical options.