Marlborough medical technology firm Boston Scientific has initiated a new clinical trial to study a treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation, an irregular rapid heart rhythm.
The treatment, called FARAPULSE Pulsed Field Ablation System, treats atrial fibrillation lasting more than a week with electric wave technology, according to a Thursday press release from Boston Scientific. Persistent AF can result in blood clots, stroke, and heart failure. Early treatment can help prevent the condition from becoming permanent.
The treatment system has already been used in approximately 40,000 patients. The new AVANT GUARD trial seeks to expand its clinical use to be offered as an early treatment.
“The AVANT GUARD trial is exciting in that it has the potential to change clinical practice by advancing the therapy to be utilized as an earlier treatment for persistent AF, which may lead to better long-term outcomes and establish the FARAPULSE PFA System as the preferred method for treating the disease,” Dr. Brad Sutton, Boston Scientific chief medical officer for AF solutions, said in the press release.
The new trial will enroll 500 patients being treated for persistent AF at approximately 75 medical sites globally. The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio enrolled the first patient in the trial in late December.
