Moderate-Release TAXUS(R) Express(TM) Coronary Stent System Demonstrates Sustained Long-Term Outcomes In High-Risk Patients

Moderate-Release TAXUS(R) Express(TM) Coronary Stent System Demonstrates Sustained Long-Term Outcomes In High-Risk Patients

May 17, 2006

TAXUS VI Trial Results Support Positive Safety and Efficacy Profile

    NATICK, Mass., and PARIS, May 17 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced
three-year follow-up data from its TAXUS VI clinical trial.
 The data demonstrated that the safety and efficacy benefits
associated with a moderate-release formulation of the
TAXUS(R) Express(TM)* paclitaxel-eluting stent system were
maintained at three years.  Analysis of the data was
presented by Keith D. Dawkins, M.D., Co-Principal
Investigator of the trial.  The Company made the
announcement at the annual Paris Course on
Revascularization (EuroPCR).

    The randomized, double-blind, controlled study of 448
patients at 44 international sites is designed to assess
the TAXUS moderate-release paclitaxel-eluting coronary
stent system in reducing restenosis in high-risk patients,
including long de novo lesions with overlapping stents,
small vessels and diabetics.  Lesion size ranged from 18 -
40 mm in length and 2.5 - 3.75 mm in diameter.  TAXUS VI is
the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to
demonstrate durability of drug-eluting stents in complex
lesions at three years.  Follow-up at three years included
98.2 percent of the patients initially enrolled at three
years (432 out of 440).  

    "The three-year data from TAXUS VI demonstrates
sustained safety and efficacy of the moderate-release TAXUS
paclitaxel-eluting stent system in patients with long
lesions treated with multiple, overlapping stents,"
said Dr. Dawkins. "It's reassuring to see that even in
the most complex lesions ever studied in a drug-eluting
stent trial, moderate-release TAXUS stents offer sustained
target lesion revascularization benefits over time with no
compromise to safety." 

    "The TAXUS VI results show continuing patient
benefits in the longest lesions ever studied in a
randomized clinical trial," said Paul LaViolette,
Chief Operating Officer of Boston Scientific.  "This
data is consistent with the strong, long-term safety and
efficacy results seen with the slow-release TAXUS stent
formulation and attests to the durability of the
moderate-release technology even among this high-risk
patient population." 
 
    Continued efficacy

    The study's results indicate a continued significant
reduction in target lesion revascularization (TLR, or
retreatment rate) as compared to the bare-metal stent
control group at three years.  The study reported a
three-year TLR rate of 11.7 percent (25/213) for the TAXUS
stent group, as compared with 21.2 percent (46/217) for the
control group (P=0.0082) (only four TLR events were reported
between two and three years for the TAXUS stent group).  The
rate of patients living free of TLR events was 88.4 percent
at three years for the TAXUS stent group, as compared to
79.1 percent for the bare-metal stent control group.

    Long-term safety

    The three-year results for TAXUS VI support long-term
safety with the increased levels of paclitaxel in the
moderate-release formulation used in the study.  Even with
an in vitro dosing rate 8-10 times greater than the
commercialized slow-release formulation, no compromise in
safety was observed.  Stent thromboses remained unchanged
between two and three years at a low 0.9 percent for both
the TAXUS group and the control group.   

    Boston Scientific launched the slow-release formulation
TAXUS Express2 paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system in
Europe and other international markets in February 2003 and
in the United States in March 2004. The TAXUS Express
moderate-release paclitaxel-eluting stent is not approved
for commercial distribution.

    Boston Scientific is a worldwide developer,
manufacturer and marketer of medical devices whose products
are used in a broad range of interventional medical
specialties.  For more information, please visit:
http://www.bostonscientific.com .   

    This press release contains forward-looking statements.
 Boston Scientific wishes to caution the reader of this
press release that actual results may differ from those
discussed in the forward-looking statements and may be
adversely affected by, among other things, risks associated
with new product development and commercialization, clinical
trials, intellectual property, regulatory approvals,
competitive offerings, Boston Scientific's overall business
strategy, and other factors described in Boston Scientific's
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

    * TAXUS Express is an investigational device not
available for sale

    For more information, please contact:
  
     Geraldine Varoqui, 
     Boston Scientific PR Manager International
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Maren Koban, 
     BSC press office, 
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
	
SOURCE  Boston Scientific Corporation