Atrium Medical Corporation is proud to announce the release of the interim results from the COBEST clinical study. This study is to evaluate the use of bare metal stents vs. balloon expandable covered stents for the treatment of aorto-iliac occlusive disease. Prof. Patrice Mwipatayi of Royal Perth Hospital, Australia, presented interim data on the Covered versus Balloon Expandable Stent Trial known as COBEST at the 2009 VIVA (Vascular InterVentional Advances) meeting in Las Vegas. The presentation was part of the VIVA 2009 Late-Breaking Trials.
COBEST is a randomized, multi-center, prospective trial comparing Atrium's proprietary balloon expandable covered stent technology (Advanta™ V12 covered stent) to bare metal stents (BMS) commonly prescribed for iliac occlusive vessel disease.
This important clinical study randomized 167 limbs (123 patients) from 12 hospital centers across Australia. Patients were included if they had occlusive disease and lesions categorized as TASC B, C, or D vessel lesions in their iliac blood vessels. Eighty-three limbs were randomized to the Atrium Advanta™ V12 covered stent group and 84 limbs were randomized to the bare metal stent group. Patient characteristics were similar in all groups except for a greater percentage of patients with hypertension in the BMS group and a greater number of challenging TASC D lesions were included in the Advanta™ V12 covered stent group.
The primary objective of COBEST is to compare the outcomes benefits of balloon expandable covered stent technology to today's standard of care with bare metal stents. This clinical study comparison included binary restenosis (re-narrowing of the vessel within the treated stent region) and freedom from stent occlusion (a complete blockage). Binary restenosis was primarily assessed through Duplex Ultrasound imaging at 6, 12, and 18 months. In cases where a Duplex Ultrasound image was not obtained, stent performance was achieved through flouroscopic examination (angiogram/X-Ray) and/or CT scan. Freedom from stent occlusion was assessed at 6,12, and 18 months for each group.
Secondary objectives included comparing amputation rates, non-invasive tests including ankle brachial index pressures (ABIs), and symptomatic patient outcomes based on the type of lesion classification (TASC B, C, and D lesions), target vessel revascularization, as well as patient relief at each time interval out to 18 months.
The interim data represented 160 limbs with full 12-month follow-up and 132 limbs that have reached the 18-month time frame.
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