Market Intel: NANS 2018: Positive Data Intensifies Spinal-Cord Stim's Big-Four Rivalry

 
• By Marion Webb
  
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The market for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems, used for treating chronic debilitating pain, is expanding relentlessly, and companies like Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Nevro are all vying to gain more market share with their respective technologies. At this year's annual meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) in Las Vegas, physicians were presented with the latest clinical evidence backing these innovations. This article looks at the overall SCS market, discusses study findings presented at NANS and the latest innovations. It also provides insights from two established pain management specialists on factors they think will drive SCS technologies forward.

3D spinal cord

For the four key players in neuromodulation, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Medtronic PLC, Boston Scientific Corp. and rising star Nevro Corp., spinal cord stimulation (SCS) systems for chronic pain management are a key opportunity for growth. This message was conveyed clearly by the companies when they announced preliminary earnings results –highlighting the neuromodulation business as a growth area – at the JP Morgan Healthcare conference in San Francisco early January, and rang even louder just days later at the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, where the firms presented the latest clinical findings from SCS trials. (Also see "Market Intel: Pain Management II: Competition Intensifies For Spinal Cord Stim Market's Big Three" - Medtech Insight, 23 May, 2017.)

At NANS, which took place from Jan. 11-14, attendees got a first listen to highly anticipated study results -- including...

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