Abbott Gets FDA Nod for Breakthrough Pain Treatment

Summary:
• Pharmaceutical giant, Abbott, has obtained approval from FDA for its FlexBurst360 therapy. We tell you why this is a big deal.

Abbott Laboratories, the global healthcare leader, has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for the use of its Proclaim Plus spinal cord stimulation (SCS) device to administer FlexBurst360 therapy. The spinal cord stimulator (SCS), often called neurostimulation, is a small implantable device that provides mild electrical pulses to spinal cord nerves. This modifies the way the body interprets pain signals, reducing chronic pain and improving quality of life.

Why the approval is a big deal for Abbott

In the United States, the prevalence of chronic pain is estimated to affect more than 50 million people. According to Abbott, their FlexBurst360 therapy was developed using their proprietary BurstDR stimulation. It works by emulating natural patterns in the brain to alleviate pain. The BurstDR system is a stimulation technique. It uses brief pulses of electrical energy to modify pain signals as they pass through the spinal cord and into the brain.

Clinical trials, according to Abbott, have proven that the BurstDR technology provides more effective pain alleviation than tonic stimulation3. Also, the company adds that tests have demonstrated that the therapy makes people’s daily lives better. Also, it lessens the mental anguish that comes along with pain.

The company claims that their FlexBurst360 therapy, administered via the Proclaim Plus system, will allow doctors to determine the optimal stimulation dose for each patient. This will enable them to adapt the simulation to meet their patients’ changing pain management requirements.

The U.S. Pain Foundation estimates that pain results in annual costs of $635 billion. The losses are attributable to healthcare, disability, and lost productivity resulting from people with chronic pain seeking medical attention. As a result, the development of this ground-breaking treatment is excellent news for both patients and the finances of the company. In addition, the news will most likely trigger enthusiasm among investors. Also, it could catalyse a spike in the price of Abbott (NYSE: ABT) shares.