According to US Markets for Electrophysiology Mapping and Ablation Devices 2009 report, from the Millennium Research Group (MRG), an increase in the number of catheter ablation procedures for treating atrial fibrillation will fuel revenues in the electrophysiology ablation catheter market over the next five years.
The ablation catheter market will exhibit strong growth in the next years, at a compound annual rate of almost 14%, exceeding US$480 million by the end of 2013.
With the increased clinical attention atrial fibrillation is generating, market competitors are increasingly targeting their product development efforts towards designing atrial fibrillation-specific catheters. The pending USA approval of the first AF-indicated ablation catheter is expected to be the first of many devices to earn this designation.
In February, the FDA approved the Biosense Webster’s NaviStar ThermoCool, the first ablation catheters for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Several other manufacturers are also pursuing atrial fibrillation approval for their devices. CryoCath (acquired by Medtronic in Q3 2008) and Ablation Frontiers are developing ablation catheters specifically designed for cardiac anatomy associated with atrial fibrillation.
“A number of leading competitors are developing therapeutic solutions for treating atrial fibrillation safely and effectively,” said Anuk Karunaratne, Senior Analyst at MRG. “Currently, only a small percentage of patients with atrial fibrillation are treated with catheter ablation, but by 2013 this percentage will have tripled, and atrial fibrillation-indicated devices will be in a strong position to gain share of these procedures.”
MRG’s US Markets for Electrophysiology Mapping and Ablation Devices 2009 report provides coverage of key industry competitors, including Biosense Webster, Boston Scientific, GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare, St Jude Medical, and more.
