GDT Guidant Corp

Guidant Corporation (NYSE:GDT) today announced that the company has launched the RX HERCULINK(R) ELITE(TM) Biliary Stent System in the United States, following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance. The company also received Conformite Europeene (CE) Mark approval, and has begun marketing the stent system in the European Union. The RX HERCULINK ELITE Biliary Stent System is the industry's first .014 rapid-exchange biliary stent system using cobalt chromium, a material that is stronger and more radiopaque than stainless steel. This new stent system improves on Guidant's previous generation of .014 biliary stents by increasing flexibility and radial strength, and making the stent more visible and deliverable. "With RX HERCULINK's legacy of proven deliverability and the advantages of cobalt chromium, the RX HERCULINK ELITE Biliary Stent System is the next generation of biliary stenting technology," said Ron Lattanze, president, Endovascular Solutions, Guidant Corporation. "Guidant remains focused on providing innovative products to physicians and their patients." Guidant introduced the RX HERCULINK Biliary Stent System, the first .014 biliary system, in 1999, and the enhanced RX HERCULINK(R) PLUS Biliary Stent System in 2001. In the United States, the RX HERCULINK PLUS Biliary Stent System and RX HERCULINK ELITE Biliary Stent System are indicated for the treatment of malignant biliary obstructions, blockages found in the ducts that carry fluids from the liver to the gallbladder or from the gallbladder to the small intestine. These obstructions affect more than 30,000 patients in the United States each year. Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving an opportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. The company, driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture of 12,000 employees, develops, manufactures and markets a broad array of products and services that enable less invasive care for some of life's most threatening medical conditions. For more information visit www.guidant.com. NOTE TO MEDIA: For more information about Guidant, including its products and services, please visit the company's newsroom at www.guidant.com/newsroom.