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Boston Scientific (BSX) Completes First Case With Its PFA System

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Boston Scientific (BSX - Free Report) recently announced the completion of the first commercial cases in the United States with its FDA-approved Farapulse Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) system.

In January 2024, the company received the FDA clearance for the Farapulse PFA System. This made Boston Scientific the second company to have received an FDA nod for PFA for treating AFib.

With the approval, Farapulse can be used to treat drug-refractory, recurrent, symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in the isolation of pulmonary veins.

Price Performance

For the past six months, BSX’s shares have gained 30.5% compared with the industry’s rise of 8.7%. The S&P 500 increased 13.2% in the same time frame.

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Farapulse PFA System

Boston Scientific’s Farapulse PFA System was purposefully designed with a streamlined user experience in mind while also optimizing cardiac PFA therapy from the ground up.

The PFA System is made up of three primary components:

The Faradrive Steerable Sheath is made for accessibility and ease of use.

Farawave PFA Catheter is designed to treat a range of PV anatomies using an over-the-wire catheter with variable distal shapes.

The Farastar PFA Generator uses bipolar and biphasic waveforms with patented pulses to PREPARE, CONFIRM, and DELIVER treatment with a simple three-button click.

The system helps in eliminating the myocardium preferentially to lower the possibility of harm to collateral structures. The system also tends to reduce the number of system parts and user interface modifications to streamline the process and reduce the learning curve. It is primarily used in the treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Industry Prospects

Per a report by Grand View Research,the atrial fibrillation market size was valued at $22.4 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a rate of 10.1% from 2023 to 2030.

The market is anticipated to be driven by rising awareness of AFib and its increasing prevalence. Atrial fibrillation is becoming more common due to a number of factors, including an aging population, changing lifestyles, and an increase in chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity.

Given the market potential for the treatment of AFib, Boston Scientific’s business is likely to be boosted by the commercial usage of its FDA-approved PFA system.

Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider

BSX sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) at present.

Some other top-ranked stocks to consider in the broader medical space are Universal Health Services (UHS - Free Report) , Integer Holdings Corporation (ITGR - Free Report) and Elevance Health, Inc (ELV - Free Report) .

Universal Health Services, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, has an estimated growth rate of 4.4% for 2024. UHS’s earnings surpassed estimates in all the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 5.47%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

UHS’s shares have gained 1.9% in the past six months against the industry’s 5% decline.

Integer Holdings, presently carrying a Zacks Rank of 2, has an estimated long-term growth rate of 15.8%. ITGR’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 11.9%.

Integer Holdings’ shares have rallied 43.5% in the past year against the industry’s 3.7% decline.

Elevance Health, carrying a Zacks Rank of 2, reported fourth-quarter 2023 adjusted earnings per share of $5.62, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.3%. Revenues of $42.45 billion outpaced the consensus mark by 1.5%.

Elevance Health has a long-term estimated growth rate of 12%. ELV’s earnings surpassed estimates in all the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 3.1%.

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