ANPI Angiotech Pharmaceuticals - Common Shares (MM)

Angiotech partner announces completion of enrollment in pivotal clinical trial for next-generation paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system ATLAS study evaluating safety and efficacy of TAXUS(R) Liberte(TM) VANCOUVER, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANPINASDAQ:TSX:NASDAQ:ANP) corporate partner, Boston Scientific ("BSC"), announced today that it has completed enrollment in its ATLAS clinical trial. ATLAS is the first trial using Boston Scientific's new Liberte(TM) coronary stent as a platform for its paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system. TAXUS(R) Liberte(TM) is the next generation to Boston Scientific's first paclitaxel- eluting coronary stent system, TAXUS(TM) Express(2)(TM), which is the worldwide leader in the coronary stent market today. The ATLAS trial is a global, multicenter pivotal study designed to support U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the TAXUS Liberte stent system. It is assessing the safety and efficacy of a slow-release dose formulation paclitaxel-eluting TAXUS Liberte stent system for the treatment of coronary artery disease. ATLAS has enrolled 872 patients at 72 sites in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong. The primary endpoint for the study is target vessel revascularization at nine months. Enrollment began in August 2004. In addition to the ATLAS trial, the TAXUS Liberte program includes several expansion studies for long lesion stenting, small vessel stenting and direct stenting of coronary lesions. The expansion studies are expected to begin enrollment in the next several weeks, as stated by BSC. BSC received the CE Mark for the bare metal Liberte stent system in December 2003 and plans to launch the TAXUS Liberte system in Europe later this year. The TAXUS Liberte system was launched in 18 other international markets in January. "I am very pleased that enrollment has concluded in this pivotal study so quickly," said John Ormiston, M.D., Interventional Cardiologist, Mercy Hospital and Green Lane Cardiovascular Unit, Auckland, New Zealand, and Co-Principal Investigator of the ATLAS study. "We are excited about the potential for the new Liberte stent design to provide clinicians easier access to vessels indicated for drug-eluting stent treatment." The Liberte stent features the Veriflex(TM) stent design, a highly flexible cell geometry with thin struts and uniform cell distribution. BSC states that this new platform offers improved deliverability and conformability in challenging anatomy. It also features the enhanced TrakTip(TM) catheter tip, mounted on the Maverick(2)(TM) delivery catheter, which provides better lesion crossability. In addition, TrakTip has a low lesion-entry profile, which further improves crossability, BSC reports. BSC acquired worldwide exclusive rights from Angiotech to use paclitaxel to coat its coronary stent products and has co-exclusive rights to other vascular and non-vascular products. Vancouver-based Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on drug-coated medical devices and biomaterials, is dedicated to enhancing the performance of medical devices and biomaterials through the innovative uses of pharmacotherapeutics. To find out more about Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANPINASDAQ:TSX:NASDAQ:ANP), please visit our website at http://www.angiotech.com/. Statements contained herein that are not based on historical or current fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "anticipates", "believes", "may", "continue", "estimate", "expects", "may" and "will" and words of similar import, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: general economic and business conditions, both nationally and in the regions in which the Company operates; technology changes; competition; changes in business strategy or development plans; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; existing governmental regulations and changes in, or the failure to comply with, governmental regulations; liability and other claims asserted against the Company; and other factors referenced in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the Canadian securities regulators. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statements. CONTACTS: Todd Young, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (Analysts & Investors), (604) 221-7676 ext 6933 Rui Avelar, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Analysts), (604) 221-7676 ext 6996 Eric Starkman, Starkman & Associates (Media), (212) 252-8545 ext 12 DATASOURCE: Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT: Todd Young, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (Analysts & Investors), (604) 221-7676 ext 6933; Rui Avelar, Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Analysts), (604) 221-7676 ext 6996; Eric Starkman, Starkman & Associates (Media), (212) 252-8545 ext 12

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