FDA Approves St. Jude's Epic Stented Tissue Valve

St. Jude Medical received FDA approval of its Epic Stented Tissue Valve with Linx AC Technology.
Identical in design to St. Jude’s Biocor Valve, which leads the tissue valve industry in U.S. market share growth, the Epic valve incorporates patented anti-calcification technology to protect against tissue mineralization, or hardening, the company said.
A recently published paper concluded that, over 17 years, the Biocor design reduced tissue fatigue from mechanical stresses, it added.
St. Jude said it will roll out the Epic valve beginning early next year.