St. Jude's Brain Implant For Parkinson's Disease Gets FDA Approval

(RTTNews) - St. Jude Medical Inc.'s (STJ) Brio Neurostimulation System has been approved by the FDA to help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, becoming the second such device to get the regulatory go-ahead.

Parkinson's disease, which typically occurs in people over age 60, when cells in the brain that produce a chemical called dopamine become impaired or die, is a neurological disorder for which there are no cures.

The Brio Neurostimulation System is an implantable deep brain stimulation device consisting of a small battery-powered, rechargeable electrical pulse generator implanted under the skin of the upper chest and wire leads that attach to electrodes placed within the brain at specific locations. The device is meant to help patients when medication alone may not provide adequate relief from symptoms such as walking difficulties, balance problems, and tremors.

Medtronic's Activa Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy System, was the first device to be approved by the FDA in 1997 for tremor associated with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease, and in 2002, the approval was expanded to include the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

STJ closed Friday's trading at $74.34, down 1.06%.