Cardinal Health Grows Cardiovascular Portfolio, Biosensors International Expands Reach Through Distribution Agreement
Biosensors International has entered into a strategic agreement that will allow Cardinal Health’s subsidiary Cordis to distribute its portfolio of drug-eluting stents (DES). Senior leadership from both companies commented that the deal is the beginning of a long-term partnership that will greatly improve Biosensors’ reach in the global cardiovascular market and rapidly expand Cordis’ product offering.
Within the next few months, Cordis will begin to distribute Biosensors’ DES technology in select countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. These products include the BioFreedom polymer-free DES, the BioMatrix NeoFlex DES, and the BioMatrix Alpha with cobalt chromium DES and bio-absorbable coating — all products used in minimally invasive procedures to open blocked coronary arteries. Eventually, Cordis intends to market these products in select regions under the private label Lumeno, according to a press release.
In November, BioSensors published results in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) from the world’s largest clinical study that compared BioFreedom DES to traditionally-used bare metal stents (BMS). With 2,466 participants at 68 sites in 20 countries, the study concluded that among patients with a high risk of bleeding during a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the BioFreedom was superior to BMS in both safety and efficacy endpoints after 390 days.
“The agreement between Biosensors and Cardinal Health is an important milestone in our continuing strategy to deepen our market penetration and expand as well as diversify our product offering,” said Jose Calle, Group CEO of Biosensors, in a press release. “By working together we will be able to leverage our joint capabilities in delivering world-class breakthrough products including BioFreedom, as well as maximizing the increased market coverage and geographical footprint of the Biosensors and Cordis franchises.”
Cardinal Health completed the $1.94 billion acquisition of Cordis — formerly a J&J subsidiary — in October, a move that marked J&J’s exit from the cardiovascular stent business. Though Cordis’ recent sales have been in decline, Cardinal Health CEO George Barrett remarked that Cordis is uniquely aligned with the company’s plans for expansion into the cardiovascular device market.
Cordis’ deal with Biosensors marks its return to the DES market, said David Wilson, president of Cordis, who added that, while historically Cordis has developed innovative products, partnerships allow the company to expand its portfolio more quickly.
“I am proud of the role Cordis played in establishing the value of coronary stents many years ago,” said Wilson. “Today, with Cordis’ strong legacy and understanding of the DES market and the business and operational expertise of Cardinal Health, we have established an unmatched, combined offering in the cardiovascular space.”
Both companies noted this deal is the beginning of a long-term collaboration, which will leverage their individual strengths and distribution capabilities in select regions.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the U.S., causing 610,000 deaths per year. Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for over half — or 370,000 — of those deaths, according to CDC estimates.