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SmartTRAK Life Sciences News and Analysis Blog

Anne Staylor

Former Senior Editor, Medtech Insight. +25 years in various leadership roles in business intelligence, marketing, communications, product management, and consulting for medical device industry, hospitals, physician groups, insurers. Registered nurse and former Director of Marketing for a national ambulatory surgery company.

Recent Posts

2 min read

COVID Applies the Brakes: Q420/FY20 Spinal Cord Stimulation Market Recap

By Anne Staylor on 3/28/21 6:21 PM

While US SCS revenues were almost back to pre-COVID levels in Q320, rising COVID case rates put the brakes on procedure growth by the end of Q420 and the US and WW SCS markets ended down -15%+ in FY20 compared to FY19.

Although spinal cord stimulation (SCS) revenues were almost back to pre-COVID levels in Q320, by the end of Q420, rising COVID case rates in certain geographies put the brakes on procedure growth, resulting in a low-single-digit (LSD) decrease in YoY revenues in both the US and WW in Q420. For the full year (FY), US SCS were down -15.1%, with revenues, according to SmartTRAK SCS Financial Dashboard, totaling ...

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q420/FY20 Spinal Cord Stimulation Market Recap * are:

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3 min read

Abbott Launches Remote Programming for Neuromodulation: An Interview with Keith Boettiger

By Anne Staylor on 3/23/21 8:00 AM

In an interview with SmartTRAK, Keith Boettiger, VP of Abbott Neuromodulation, discusses the Company’s new NeuroSphere Virtual Clinic, a potentially game-changing technology that enables physicians to remotely program stim settings for patients with DBS, SCS and DRG devices in real-time.

On March 8, 2021, Abbott announced the US launch and FDA approval of the NeuroSphere Virtual Clinic, a first-of-its-kind remote neuromodulation patient-care technology that allows patients to receive new treatment settings from their physicians in real-time and remotely via cloud and Bluetooth-based technology. Using the patient controller app, a new remote programming feature, the clinician programming app and a new secure remote connection, physicians can communicate with patients and remotely optimize and digitally prescribe new stimulation settings for patients who are implanted with a deep brain stimulator, spinal cord stimulator or a dorsal root ganglion stimulator.

Keith Boettiger, VP of Abbott Neuromodulation, discusses remote programming using the NeuroSphere Virtual Clinic and what it means for physicians, patients and the market for neuromodulation devices in an interview with SmartTRAK. To listen to the interview, recorded recently via Uberconference, click on the following video (24:09 minutes). A link to download the transcript of the interview is also provided below.

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9 min read

R&D Focus on Neuromodulation: Patents, Products & Predictions

By Anne Staylor on 3/3/21 8:15 AM

Despite the continuing challenges posed by the pandemic, the MedTech industry presses on with product innovation and plans for the future. SmartTRAK reports daily on the challenges still ahead, covering all aspects of the Neuromodulation market.

The following is just a small sampling of recent Neuromodulation updates from around the world compiled, reviewed and posted in real time by our SmartTRAK analysts. We constantly monitor the worldwide MedTech industry, sifting through the noise to present to our subscribers the most relevant international news, patents, trends, new products, financial data and competitor developments in the global Life Sciences industry.

As part of SmartTRAK's R&D appreciation month, Research & Development professionals can now sign up for a Complimentary Month of Daily Updates delivered straight to your inbox. Just let us show you SmartTRAK and we'll give you a month of Daily Updates for FREE!

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4 min read

NANS 2021: An Interview with Boston Scientific's Nilesh Patel, MD

By Anne Staylor on 3/2/21 7:45 AM

Nilesh Patel, MD, vice president of medical affairs for Boston Scientific, discusses the Company’s latest research and innovation in neuromodulation in an interview with SmartTRAK.

With the US launch of the WaveWriter Alpha portfolio of spinal cord stimulation systems, fast-acting sub-perception therapy (FAST) and the Cognita suite of digital solutions, Boston Scientific is expanding the boundaries of pain therapy and fueling a new era of personalization using advanced analytics to identify, predict and intervene early in a patient’s pain. Nilesh Patel, MD, vice president of medical affairs at Boston Scientific (BSX), discusses these advances and more from the virtual NANS 2021 meeting in an interview with SmartTRAK.

To listen to the interview, recorded live via Uberconference, click on the following video. Read on to find out how to receive a transcript of the complete interview.

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3 min read

NANS 2021: An Interview with Medtronic's Charlie Covert

By Anne Staylor on 2/18/21 9:30 AM

Charlie Covert, Medtronic’s VP/GM of Pain Therapies, discusses the Company’s neuromodulation news at NANS 2021 in an interview with SmartTRAK.

To find out about what was new for MDT at NANS 2021, including the 12-month results from MDT’s DTM SCS study, its initiatives in evoked compound action potentials (ECAPs), the Vanta recharge-free SCS and MDT’s research into expanded indications, click on the following video below to listen to SmartTRAK’s interview with Charlie Covert recorded live via Uberconference (25:39 min). A complete transcript of the interview is also provided below.

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2 min read

A Ray of Sunshine but Dark Clouds Ahead: Q320 SCS Market Recap

By Anne Staylor on 1/4/21 10:54 AM

The US Spinal Cord Stimulation Market saw a ray of sunshine in Q320 as revenues recovered to almost pre-COVID levels, but dark clouds lie ahead

Q320 was a ray of sunshine for the US Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) market as revenues returned to almost pre-COVID levels according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard. Sequentially, US revenues bounced sharply from Q220. Although OUS revenues weren’t as sunny, WW SCS revenues recovered in Q320, jumping ~60% sequentially from Q220 revenues.

Among the many topics, including company revenues, shares, charts and expert analysis, covered in the comprehensive Q320 Spinal Cord Stimulation Market Recap* are:

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3 min read

Magstim: Opportunities in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: An Interview with Lothar Krinke

By Anne Staylor on 12/8/20 9:09 AM

Magstim CEO Lothar Krinke, PhD discusses Magstim and opportunities in transcranial magnetic stimulation in an interview with SmartTRAK

As a pioneer in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), Magstim has been a leading supplier of transcranial magnetic stimulators for the last 30 years. Although TMS was first primarily used for research applications, it is now widely used in the clinical setting as a non-invasive therapy to treat major depressive disorder in patients who have failed medication therapy or other treatments. Magstim estimates approximately 50,000+ patients per year in the US receive TMS therapy for depression, a fraction of the five-to-six million patients who currently suffer from medication-resistant depression. 

The combined worldwide market for TMS, including the clinical and research market, is estimated at ~$200 million a year, but it is potentially a multi-billion dollar market according to Magstim CEO Lothar Krinke, PhD. To find out more about TMS and Magstim, including its recent acquisition of Electrical Geodesics (EGI) and its high-density EEG from Royal Philips, click on the following video to listen to SmartTRAK’s interview with Dr. Krinke, recorded live via Uberconference (31:05 min). To download a complete transcript of the interview, just click the link below.

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2 min read

Medtronic DTM SCS: Using Basic Science to Orchestrate Pain Relief

By Anne Staylor on 11/30/20 3:08 PM

Charlie Covert, VP/GM of Medtronic’s Pain Therapies business, discusses 12-month follow up data from the DTM SCS RCT, orchestrating the neuro-glial response and much more in an interview with SmartTRAK.

Charlie Covert, VP/GM of Medtronic’s Pain Therapies business discusses 12-month data from the Company’s Differential Targeted Multiplexed (DTM) SCS RCT, why they used a modified intent to treat analysis (mITT) and what’s next for DTM research in an interview with   SmartTRAK.


To find out more about DTM SCS, including its mechanism of action (MOA), how it’s doing in the market and Medtronics’ research into expanded indications and new technologies, click the link below to download the complete transcript of the interview.

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1 min read

COVID Clobbers Spinal Cord Stimulation Market in Q220

By Anne Staylor on 10/16/20 9:39 AM

COVID-19 hit the SCS market hard in Q220 as shutdowns and widespread procedure cancellations led to a dramatic decline in SCS revenues.

COVID-19 clobbered the SCS market in Q220 as shutdowns and widespread procedure cancellations led to a dramatic decline in SCS revenues, with the biggest impact in April across all geographies. For Q220, WW SCS revenues tumbled down -38.1% vs Q219, and US SCS revenue dropped by -37.7% YoY according to SmartTRAK Financial Dashboard.

Among the many topics covered in the comprehensive Q220 SCS Market Recap* are:

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3 min read

Elevating Stroke Care: An Interview with Imperative Care's Fred Khosravi

By Anne Staylor on 10/5/20 9:30 AM

With plans to become a stroke strategic, Imperative Care Chairman and CEO Fred Khosravi discusses elevating stroke care through technology and streamlined care in an interview with SmartTRAK

With plans to become a stroke strategic and leader in in the market for neurovascular products, Imperative Care Chairman and CEO Fred Khosravi says Imperative Care is a clinically driven company focused on elevating stroke care by bringing innovation to the market that addresses unmet clinical needs, expands patient access, democratizes the delivery of care and improves first pass efficiency.

The Company secured $85MM in Series C financing in December 2019 and has introduced two new products to the marketplace--the Zoom Aspiration System and the TracStar LDP (large distal platform), a new category of intracranial access device that combines the stability of a long sheath with the flexibility of an intermediate catheter. According to Khosravi, TracStar LDP (0.088” inner lumen) is capable of reaching farther into the brain than other access devices (to the base of the middle cerebral artery), a feat that allows interventionalists to track farther and get closer to the treatment site for both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke procedures.

To find out more about these new products, how Imperative Care is faring amid COVID-19 and the Company’s plans for 2020 and beyond, SmartTRAK recently sat down with Khosravi for a wide-ranging interview conducted via Uberconference. To listen to a recording of the interview, click on the following video (48:15 minutes). Specific interview topics by timecode are also outlined below as is a link to download the complete transcript.

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