Evaluation of the Zilver PTX Drug-Eluting Stent in the Above-the-Knee Femoropopliteal Artery

The Zilver® PTX™ Drug Eluting Vascular Stent is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic vascular disease of the above-the-knee femoropopliteal artery (ranging from 4 mm to 9 mm in reference vessel diameter) for lesions up to 7 cm long. The above-the-knee femoropopliteal artery is defined as the superficial femoral artery (SFA) and the region of the popliteal artery above the plane of the femoral epicondyles. The clinical trial is stratified by lesion length. The trial will be conducted in 2 phases, with Phase 1 enrolling patients with lesions less than 7 cm long. Phase 2 of the trial will include longer lesions (up to 14 cm long) and will be initiated upon approval by the FDA. This study will include 480 patients who will receive the Zilver PTX stent or Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) at up to 100 investigational sites. Clinical data will be captured on paper and electronic case report forms. Analyses will include evaluation of the composite event-free survival rate and the patency rate at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Event-free survival is defined as freedom from the major adverse events of death, target lesion revascularization, target limb ischemia requiring surgical intervention (bypass or amputation of toe, foot or leg), surgical repair of the target vessel (e.g., dissection requiring surgery), and from worsening of the Rutherford classification by 2 classes or to class 5 or 6. Patency will be assessed by duplex ultrasound in all patients. Patients may be randomized to one or more of the following sub-studies: IVUS and angiography at 6 months (stent patients only), angiography at 12 months, pharmacokinetic substudy (Zilver PTX patients only), or ultrasound (PTA patients only). The trial also includes provisions for patients experiencing PTA failure. These patients may be randomized to receive a Zilver PTX stent or a bare Zilver stent.