Becton, Dickinson Completes Enrollment in Lutonix DCB Trial

Becton, Dickinson and Company BDX, popularly known as BD, recently announced the completion of enrollment in the Lutonix below-the-knee trial. The trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled one that demonstrates superior efficacy of the Lutonix 014 Drug Coated Balloon (DCB) compared with standard angioplasty balloon catheters.

DCB Platform at a Glance

DCB is a special category of Balloon Angioplasty that is used to treat coronary and peripheral artery diseases.

Lutonix DCB platform treats severe claudication and critical limb ischemia patients who are suffering from stenotic or occlusive lesions in the below-the-knee arteries.

3 Reasons Why Lutonix 014 DCB Will Drive Growth

Exclusivity

The Lutonix below-the-knee trial is the only DCB trial for below-the-knee arteries in the United States and the platform has enrolled more than 450 patients over the past four years. BD plans to submit the pre-market approval application for Lutonix below-the-knee trial in late 2018.

Fortifies BD’s International Foothold

The Lutonix 014 DCB product has been made commercially available in the countries of Europe, Canada and Australia for treatment of the arteries associated with CLI since 2013. CLI is a detrimental arterial disease that reduces blood flow to the lower leg arteries. An estimated 2 million people in the nation have been suffering from CLI. The number is estimated to grow to nearly 2.8 million by 2020. Thus, the company’s customer base is expected to expand in course of time.

Lucrative Markets

BD’s consistent focus on expanding into emerging overseas markets, new product launches and acquisition-driven strategy are significant growth catalysts. Also, the latest development in the Balloon Angioplasty markets is likely to enhance the company’s growth trajectory.

Per a research report by Grand View Research, the global angioplasty balloon market is expected to reach a worth of $2.9 billion by 2024. Further, Drug-eluting balloons is expected to be the fastest growing segment during the forecast period, courtesy of favorable tidings on the regulatory front, advantages over standard normal balloons, and low cost effectiveness.

Shares Shine

In the last year, BD has outperformed the industry in terms of price performance. The company’s shares have returned 36.7%, comparing favorably with the industry’s gain of just 29%. In fact, the current return is relatively higher than the S&P 500 index’s rally of 26.4%.

 

 

Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks

BD has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Other top-ranked stocks in the broader medical sector are Integer Holdings Corporation ITGR, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. BIO and Intuitive Surgical, Inc. ISRG.

Bio-Rad Laboratories flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. The company has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 25%.

Integer Holdings has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 15%. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2.

Intuitive Surgical has a long-term expected earnings growth rate of 9.2%. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2.

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