Lombard Medical, Axordia to develop stem cell-based cardiac products

By Elaine Rigoli

Tampa, Fla., Aug. 3 - Lombard Medical Technologies plc has signed a letter of intent to enter into a collaboration with Axordia Ltd. to develop stent technology that combines Axordia's proprietary stem cells with Lombard's PEP polymer coating on drug eluting stents.

Stents are tiny mesh tubes that are used in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, to support the artery wall and keep the vessel open after artery clearing procedures such as angioplasty.

However, Lombard noted that in more than 50% of stenting cases, the patient suffers an inflammatory thickening of the artery, called restenosis.

To prevent restenosis, drug eluting stents have been developed, which are stents coated in cellular growth inhibiting drugs that elute into the surrounding artery and prevent the thickening of the vessel wall.

Lombard said its PEP polymer may promote early healing of the artery, rather than using the current drugs that may inhibit growth or cause late thrombotic events.

Coronary artery disease causes about 6.9 million deaths worldwide each year, and the market for drug eluting stents is valued at around $6 billion, according to a news release.

Lombard is a medical device company based in Yorkshire, England.

Axordia is a stem cell company based in Sheffield, England.

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