Boston Scientific losing this round in stent war?

Cardiologists appear to be moving away from Boston Scientific's Taxus stent in favor of the rival Cypher, a model manufactured by Johnson & Johnson. According to The Wall Street Journal, SG Cowen & Co. analyst Dhulsini de Zoysa wrote in a recent report that the Taxus suffered "dramatic share erosion -- falling to 53 percent of the market" from its previously dominant position, after a recent study linked the stent to a slightly elevated risk of blood clots. That shift appears to have been a factor in Boston Scientific's poor showing in the second quarter this year, although Taxus has recovered some market share since then. The company reported a 35 percent drop in income on Tuesday, which it attributed to one-time charges related to several acquisitions.

- see this story from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)

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