Edwards Lifesciences Corp (EW)

One acronym says it all: THV. Edwards' SAPIEN Transcatheter Heart Valve is a revolutionary new heart valve surgery which makes it possible to replace a diseased valve without cracking the chest. In the short term, this allows patients who would otherwise die during invasive surgery (or in absence of surgery) another chance at life. In the long run, further innovation opens up use of the technology as a cosmetic advantage over open heart surgery. This device has been going through clinical trials in Europe on its way to FDA approval, and faces competition from similar valve replacement approaches by companies such as Medtronic (who recently bought CoreValve). EW is an estimated 2 years further along the track for FDA approval, which will give it the cushion it needs to generate a solid foothold in the market before competitive products are launched, allowing its revenue to grow at an impressive rate in the coming years.