Medtronic ‘Embraces’ its Role in the Opioid Crisis Fight

Not many medtech companies have the reach and scale of Medtronic. Yet, the Dublin-based firm is in the same position as any other device firm when it comes to the awareness and acceptance of alternatives to oral opioids. Medtronic is hoping to change this with the help of its newly-launched Embrace Targeted Drug Delivery (TDD)clinical study. The 100-patient trial is a post-market study set to evaluate the use of the SynhroMed II intrathecal drug delivery system for patients with chronic intractable non-malignant primary back pain with or without leg pain. The first patient was enrolled in Embrace TDD last week. “The medical device industry has not always been fully recognized as an alternative for patients suffering with chronic pain,” Charlie Covert, VP and general manager, Targeted Drug Delivery, Medtronic Pain Therapies, told MD+DI. “[The Embrace trial] we believe is an opportune moment for us to put medical devices at the forefront.” Medtronic’s said the device provides effective pain relief at a fraction of the oral dose with fewer side effects and may help reduce or eliminate the use of oral opioids.The Embrace TDD study will follow patients who wean completely from all oral opioids and have a successful intrathecal drug trial. “The trial itself is an evaluation of an approved therapy targeted drug delivery in most markets around the world,” Cove...
Source: MDDI - Category: Medical Devices Authors: Tags: Business Source Type: news