The New Math of Drug-Device Convergence

In combination products that span the device and pharmaceutical industry, one plus one doesn't necessarily equal three. Speaking at "Convergence: the Drug/Device Summit," Paul LaViolette, chief operating office of Boston Scientific, recounts the intricacies of getting Taxus, the largest combination product in history, to market. For all the success BSC has had, both with Taxus and generally speaking--a huge infrastructure, billions of dollars in revenues, and 18 PMA approvals under its belt-the first lesson it learned from its drug-eluting stent program was, "As hard as you think it may be, it's harder than that."

In Pittsburgh in mid-March, some 140 drug, device, biomaterial, and venture capital firms gathered at "Convergence: the Drug/Device Summit," to suss out the next major product opportunities to come from combining drugs and devices. The conference was organized by Bio and AdvaMed, advocacy groups for the biotechnology and device industries respectively, as well as the incubator Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse and Windhover Information Inc. The device and drug industries are pinning great hopes on convergence, since the highest profile example—the drug eluting stent—is already an almost $5 billion market that's forecast to grow to $10 billion by 2009.

But drug-eluting stents, notwithstanding their success, only skim the surface of possible drug/device convergence: already, BMP products such as Medtronic Inc. 's Infuse and Stryker Corp. 's OP-1...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required

More from Leadership

Rising Leaders 2025: Kura Oncology’s Mollie Leoni On Setting Precedent, Not Following It

 
• By 

Kura Oncology's new chief medical officer discusses her path to leadership, the company's advancing AML pipeline, and her methodical approach to developing treatments for underserved oncology indications.

Finding The Fire: AltruBio’s Novel Approach To Autoimmune Disease

 
• By 

CEO Judy Chou brings big pharma experience to tackle chronic inflammation with the company's first-in-class PSGL-1 targeting therapy.

Rising Leaders 2025: Metsera’s Whit Bernard’s Musical Path To Biotech Leadership

 
• By 

Metsera CEO Whit Bernard applies an unconventional leadership philosophy to develop next-generation obesity therapeutics, including monthly GLP-1 injections and oral peptides.

Rising Leaders 2025: Pedro Valencia’s ADC Vision At AbbVie

 
• By 

From chemical engineering to cancer innovation, AbbVie's rising oncology leader is advancing next-generation ADCs to tackle difficult-to-treat tumors with a patient-centered approach.

More from In Vivo

AI In Health Delivery: Patients Most Confident When HCPs Are In Charge

 
• By 

Annual survey of patients and professionals shows how attitudes to health system transformation are evolving and what stakeholders are demanding as acceptance of AI tools accelerates.

Medtech Innovators Court London-Based Investors At BioWales 2025

 
• By 

BioWales in London 2025 showcased the efforts healthtech innovators are making to meet investors on their own turf, illustrating changing attitudes and evolving needs.

Rising Leaders 2025: Metsera’s Whit Bernard’s Musical Path To Biotech Leadership

 
• By 

Metsera CEO Whit Bernard applies an unconventional leadership philosophy to develop next-generation obesity therapeutics, including monthly GLP-1 injections and oral peptides.