Corporate History
The Company's history began in 1992 with the efforts of its co-founder and current President and CEO, Dr. William Hunter, to build the core technologies that still serve as Angiotech's foundation. We strive to redefine and improve therapies in novel and innovative ways to benefit patients worldwide.
Angiotech was among the first companies to focus on paclitaxel as a therapeutic for indications other than cancer. Angiotech's growth over more than a decade is attributable to the discovery that the anti-cancer drug, paclitaxel, could also inhibit angiogenesis and block an important cellular pathway involved in scar formation and inflammation.
Angiotech partnered with Boston Scientific Corporation to create the paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent, TAXUS®, which was launched in the U.S. in 2004 and has now been implanted in over three million patients worldwide. TAXUS®, which works better than the basic bare metal stent has not only greatly benefited patients, but has borne compelling economic arguments. Analysts now predict that the industry will grow to US$6 billion annually. Today, revenues from TAXUS® account for approximately 50 percent of Angiotech's total revenues each year.
- Read more about our focus market areas and technology pipeline.
TAXUS® is a registered trademark of Boston Scientific Corporation (BSC). BSC acquired worldwide exclusive rights from Angiotech to use paclitaxel in connection with its coronary stent products and has co-exclusive rights to certain other vascular and non-vascular products.