Tuesday, the FDA approved Abbott Laboratories’ (NYSE:ABT) first-of-its-kind TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system that’s specifically designed to treat tricuspid regurgitation (TR), or a leaky tricuspid valve.
This approval follows the recent recommendation of the Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee for the FDA, whose vote confirmed 13 to 1, with 0 abstention, that the benefits of TriClip outweighed the risks.
The tricuspid valve controls blood as it flows from the heart’s right atrium to the right ventricle. TR occurs when the valve doesn’t close properly, causing a leak and allowing blood to flow backward in the heart.
TR can force the heart to work harder, causing ...