title: From bench to bedside: initial experience with the Primus drug-coated balloon catheter.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Drug-coated balloon (DCB) technology has emerged as a promising therapy particularly in the treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis. Although a variety of devices are available for clinical use, clinical outcomes have been variable and scope for significant improvement exists.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a preclinical study, a total of 10 juvenile healthy farm pigs underwent catheter-based DCB deployment in coronary arteries with angiographic and pathological follow-up at 7 or 28 days. Animals were randomly allocated to the PRIMUS or Dior® DCB (N.=10 per group) and evaluated by histopathology and morphometric analysis. In a first-in-man clinical study a total of 19 consecutive patients presenting with restenosis within drug-eluting stents were treated with the PRIMUS DCB. Clinical follow-up was performed out to 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neointimal thickness was similar between the PRIMUS and Dior® DCB groups, while fibrin deposition and inflammation were more sustained in the PRIMUS group at 28 days. In 19 consecutive patients presenting with in-stent restenosis of drug-eluting stents, treatment with the PRIMUS DCB catheter resulted in high procedural efficacy. There were no adverse clinical events observed out to 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PRIMUS DCB demonstrates high preclinical safety and excellent acute performance and safety. Further studies are needed to delineate the relative merits of this novel DCB compared to other devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Clinica Mediterranea, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Briguori
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Virmani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kolodgie
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Byrne
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steigerwald
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orlowski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Joner
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000818:Animals; D057785:Catheters; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D023903:Coronary Restenosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible