Boston Scientific Wants to Take Its Performance to the Next Level

Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series on the Boston Scientific Investor Day presentation.

While Farapulse owned the spotlight at Boston Scientific's investor event last week, that device is just one piece in the company's long-range plan to become the highest-performing medtech large cap company over the next three years. In other words, the company is looking to take its performance to the next level, which was the theme of the event.

"The next chapters and chapters ahead for Boston Scientific are truly unique and differentiated," CEO Mike Mahoney told investors. " ... What we mean by next level as an organization ... for us this means next level of innovation that we're bringing across the globe within the company. Next level of execution and teamwork ... And the other thing it means to us from more of a financial perspective is taking our performance to the next level."

He said the aim is to be the top company in terms of financial performance, sales growth, earnings per share, execution, and talent retention.

"We're investing for the long term for Boston Scientific to make it a special company beyond these three years," Mahoney said.

If Farapulse was the star of the show in terms of products highlighted during the investor event, Watchman Flx Pro would be in the running for best supporting actor, as it too received a fair amount of attention from the cardiology team.

FDA just recently approved the latest-generation Watchman Flx Pro left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device. Designed to further advance the procedural performance and safety of the Watchman technology, which is indicated to reduce stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who need an alternative to oral anticoagulation therapy, the device now features a polymer coating, visualization markers, and a broader size matrix to treat a wider range of patients.

"What I can tell you about this is it may bring some meaningful iterative changes to the therapy," said Brad Sutton, MD, chief medical officer at Boston Scientific. "And I think it potentially unlocks the opportunity to simplify the post-implant drug regimen."

Watchmen Flx is still the fundamental framework for the Watchman Flx Pro device, Sutton said, but the new device features three radiopaque markers on the shoulder of the device that aid in fluoroscopic guidance and placement."

The Watchman Flx Pro is also enhanced with a coating designed to reduce device-related thrombus and enable faster, controlled healing and endothelization of the device surface. The device is also available in a new 40mm size option, which will enable physicians to treat a broader range of anatomies with the Watchman technology.

One thing analysts seemed particularly struck by, if the Q&A is any indication, is that the company is confident in the potential for the LAAC market growing from $1.4 billion to about $2.5 billion over the next three years, and then reaching about $6 billion in 2030 and beyond.

The company pointed to potential label expansion through the OPTION and CHAMPION-AF studies, which could increase the indicated U.S. patient population from about 2 million to about 7 million and the patient population outside the United States from about 2 million to about 11 million. Boston Scientific expects data from the OPTION trial, which is evaluating Watchman Flx versus oral anticoagulation (OAC) in post-ablation patients, to be presented in 2025. Then, three-year data from the CHAMPION-AF trial, which is comparing Watchman Flx as a first-line therapy to OAC, is expected in 2026.

"We think continued investments in product development and clinical data generation will enable [Boston Scientific] to maintain its leadership position and support long-term, durable market growth," said Marie Thibault, a medtech analyst at BTIG.