From lab to market: IISc team, surgeon develop dissolving stent to cut 2nd surgeries

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in collaboration with a clinical surgeon, have developed a biodegradable (dissolving) stent...

What Happened

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, in collaboration with a clinical surgeon, have developed a biodegradable (dissolving) stent designed to eliminate the need for a second surgical procedure to remove the device after it has served its function.
Conventional stents — typically made of metal — remain permanently inside the body and may require surgical removal in certain applications (such as biliary, ureteral, or vascular stents), exposing patients to the risks and costs of a second procedure.
The dissolving stent is made of biocompatible, bioresorbable materials that safely degrade within the body over a defined period after fulfilling their mechanical support function, leaving no foreign material behind.
The innovation represents a "lab-to-market" translation effort, with the IISc team working with a practising surgeon to ensure the device meets clinical requirements — bridging the gap between laboratory research and real-world patient care.
The development is significant for India's medical device self-reliance agenda, as the country currently imports the majority of advanced stent technologies; indigenous development reduces costs and enables local customisation for Indian patient profiles.

Static Topic Bridges

Bioresorbable / Biodegradable Stents: Technology and Clinical Significance

A bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) or biodegradable stent is a device that provides temporary mechanical support to a hollow anatomical structure (artery, bile duct, ureter, oesophagus, etc.) and then gradually dissolves through hydrolysis or enzymatic degradation into non-toxic by-products absorbed by the body. Materials used include polylactic acid (PLA), polyglycolic acid (PGA), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), magnesium alloys, and iron alloys.

Mechanism: hydrolytic or enzymatic degradation over weeks to months (depending on material and application)
Key advantage over metallic stents: no permanent implant, eliminates risk of late stent thrombosis, no second-procedure removal
Clinical applications: coronary arteries, bile ducts (biliary stents), ureters, oesophagus, peripheral vessels
Global bioresorbable stents market: projected ~$618 million (2026), growing at ~8–9% CAGR
First FDA-approved bioresorbable coronary scaffold: Abbott's Absorb BVS (approved 2016, later withdrawn due to higher adverse events vs. metallic DES)
Next-generation bioresorbable designs have addressed earlier limitations through improved polymer formulations and thinner struts

Connection to this news: The IISc innovation targets the specific clinical problem of removal-surgery burden — a known limitation of temporary stents in non-coronary applications — and aims to solve it with an indigenously developed, cost-effective, bioresorbable solution.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and India's Research-to-Market Ecosystem

IISc, established in 1909 in Bengaluru, is India's premier research university and a deemed university of eminence under the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. It consistently ranks among the top institutions in global research rankings and hosts active translational research programmes through its Centre for Biosystems Science and Engineering (BSSE) and various biomedical engineering laboratories.

IISc established: 1909 (Bengaluru); granted deemed university status under the UGC Act
National Importance: recognised as an Institution of National Importance
Foundation for Science, Innovation and Development (FSID): IISc's tech-transfer and commercialisation arm
National Biopharma Mission (2017): ₹1,500 crore programme to support translation of biomedical research to products
Biomedical Devices and Technology Development Programme (BCTD) under Department of Biotechnology (DBT): supports lab-to-market transitions for medical devices

Connection to this news: The IISc-surgeon collaboration exemplifies the "lab-to-market" translation model that India's research and innovation policy seeks to institutionalise — combining deep materials science expertise with clinical insight to create commercially viable, patient-ready devices.

Medical Devices Policy in India and Import Substitution

India is the fourth-largest medical device market in Asia, valued at approximately $11 billion, but imports account for 70–80% of devices consumed. The Medical Devices Rules, 2017 (under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940) regulate device safety and efficacy. The National Medical Devices Policy, 2023 aims to increase India's global medical device market share from ~1.5% to 10–12% by 2047 and substantially reduce import dependence.

India medical device market size: ~$11 billion (2023–24)
Import dependence: ~70–80% of devices are imported
Regulatory body: Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Health Ministry
Medical Devices Rules, 2017: classifies devices as Class A (low risk) to Class D (high risk)
National Medical Devices Policy, 2023: target 10–12% global market share by 2047
PLI scheme for medical devices: ₹3,420 crore outlay to promote domestic manufacturing
Price regulation: National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) regulates prices of certain medical devices including stents (coronary stents price-capped since 2017)

Connection to this news: An indigenously developed bioresorbable stent — if successfully commercialised — directly advances the National Medical Devices Policy's import-substitution goals, and the NPPA's historical price-capping of metallic coronary stents underscores the policy interest in affordable domestic alternatives.

Key Facts & Data

Developer: Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru (est. 1909)
Collaboration: IISc research team + practising clinical surgeon
Innovation: Biodegradable/bioresorbable stent — dissolves after fulfilling support function, eliminates second removal surgery
Materials class: Bioresorbable polymers (e.g., PLA, PLGA) or biodegradable metals (magnesium/iron alloys)
Global bioresorbable stents market: ~$618 million (2026 estimate)
India medical device market: ~$11 billion; import dependence: 70–80%
National Medical Devices Policy 2023: target 10–12% global market share by 2047
PLI for medical devices: ₹3,420 crore outlay
Coronary stent price cap: enforced by NPPA since 2017
Regulatory pathway: CDSCO (Medical Devices Rules, 2017) — Class C or D classification for implantable devices