Biosensors International Group today announced the acquisition of certain assets of Devax, Inc., a maker of specialty stents, for a total consideration of US$5.7 million ($7.4 million).

Headquartered in Irvine, California, US, Devax develops the Axxess drug-eluting stent (DES) system designed specifically to treat the complex type of coronary artery disease that forms at the intersection of two vessels. Coronary bifurcations are prone to develop atherosclerotic plaque because of turbulent blood flow and high shear stress near the main branch and the adjacent side branch.

The Axxess DES consists of a self-expanding, conically-shaped nitinol stent – designed to conform to the specific anatomy of bifurcations – coated with a biodegradable poly-lactic acid polymer eluting Biolimus A9, a highly-lipophilic drug designed specifically for use in drug-eluting stent systems. The biodegradable polymer and Biolimus A9 were used in the Axxess DES under license from Biosensors, and are the same components used in the company’s BioMatrix range of drug eluting stents.

The Axxess DES received CE Mark approval in August 2010.