Sam Brusco, Associate Editor10.10.23
Medtronic has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its next-gen SynchroMed III intrathecal drug delivery system for chronic pain, cancer pain, and severe spasticity.
SynchroMed III is a targeted drug delivery (TDD) platform that delivers medication directly to the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. The upgraded system features a new “refill only” physician workflow, improved electronics with firmware that can be upgraded after implantation, and further cybersecurity protections.
“Targeted drug delivery is a critically important therapy for the management of chronic pain, cancer pain or severe spasticity when oral medications are ineffective or cause intolerable side effects,” Dr. Chris Beuer, M.D., the director of pain management at Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. told the press. “Systemic opioids bring significant risks, so I am pleased to be able to offer targeted drug delivery to my patients as a safe and effective alternative. I’m also excited about the new refill-only workflow capabilities of the SynchroMed III system which will enable more efficient programming within my practice.”
The system can be used with Medtronic’s Control Workflow, a framework that can be tailored to patients and help physicians identify patients likely to experience positive outcomes. It supports ortal opioid tapering and drug holidays so patients can be treated with the lowers effective intrathecal medication dose.
“Medtronic has offered targeted drug delivery therapy for over 30 years, and we continue to further enhance this technology,” said David Carr, VP and GM of Medtronic’s Pain Interventions business. “The SynchroMed III system brings forward several important developments and represents another step forward in our commitment to delivering solutions that alleviate pain and improve lives through innovative medical technology.”
The company expects SynchroMed III to be available later this year.
SynchroMed III is a targeted drug delivery (TDD) platform that delivers medication directly to the fluid surrounding the spinal cord. The upgraded system features a new “refill only” physician workflow, improved electronics with firmware that can be upgraded after implantation, and further cybersecurity protections.
“Targeted drug delivery is a critically important therapy for the management of chronic pain, cancer pain or severe spasticity when oral medications are ineffective or cause intolerable side effects,” Dr. Chris Beuer, M.D., the director of pain management at Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. told the press. “Systemic opioids bring significant risks, so I am pleased to be able to offer targeted drug delivery to my patients as a safe and effective alternative. I’m also excited about the new refill-only workflow capabilities of the SynchroMed III system which will enable more efficient programming within my practice.”
The system can be used with Medtronic’s Control Workflow, a framework that can be tailored to patients and help physicians identify patients likely to experience positive outcomes. It supports ortal opioid tapering and drug holidays so patients can be treated with the lowers effective intrathecal medication dose.
“Medtronic has offered targeted drug delivery therapy for over 30 years, and we continue to further enhance this technology,” said David Carr, VP and GM of Medtronic’s Pain Interventions business. “The SynchroMed III system brings forward several important developments and represents another step forward in our commitment to delivering solutions that alleviate pain and improve lives through innovative medical technology.”
The company expects SynchroMed III to be available later this year.