The affected facility was used to make Lutonix drug-coated balloons to treat peripheral artery disease.
The closure will cost 53 jobs in research and development, engineering, accounting, regulatory affairs, quality control and other areas. The remaining 32 jobs will either be relocated to Tempe, Ariz., or be offered through telecommuting, according to the Star Tribune.
All affected employees are eligible for severance benefits and are getting a minimum two-month notice.
The decision to close the plant was attributed to the company’s consolidation plans and a decreased demand for drug-eluting devices for the legs.
Earlier this year, the FDA warned physicians that patients with drug-coated balloons and stents died at higher rates after five years than patients without the drug-coated products. However, the agency did not recommend physicians completely avoid the device, as patients with higher risk for vessel reclosure and repeat procedures may still find the benefits outweigh the risks.
Read the full article here.
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