From rxpgnews.com

Cardiology
Extended Shelf Life Approved for Taxus(R) Stent System
By Boston Scientific Corporation
May 23, 2005, 19:50

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved extending the shelf life of its TAXUS(R)Express2(TM) paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system in the United States to twelve months from the current shelf life of nine months.

The decision was based on data submitted by Boston Scientific to the FDA that demonstrated the performance of the TAXUS system -- in particular the drug content, drug
degradation profile and drug-release mechanism -- was maintained within FDA-approved specifications at twelve months. The new TAXUS U.S. shelf life is longer than any competing product.

The extended expiration date applies to all sizes of the TAXUS system for sale in the United States. The Company said it would immediately begin updating labels to reflect the twelve-month expiration date. The shelf life for the TAXUS system outside the United States remains unchanged at 18 months.

"The extended shelf life of TAXUS offers an additional benefit to physicians and other healthcare professionals making purchasing decisions for drug-eluting stents," said Paul LaViolette, Chief Operating Officer of Boston Scientific. "The extended shelf life may facilitate inventory management for hospitals concerned with issues of stock rotation or product expiration."

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