Diagnostics & Imaging Week articles from November 2007

Diagnostics & Imaging Week archives from November 2007

Inverness continues buying spree with $302m acquisition of Alere.(Inverness Medical Innovations Inc., Alere Medical Inc.)
November 1, 2007... Inverness Medical Innovations (IMI; Waltham, Massachusetts) has continued its 2007 acquisition spree, last week reporting an agreement to buy Alere Medical (Reno, Nevada) for $302 million, consisting of about $125 million in cash and $177...

Bracco buys E-Z-EM for $24.1m Roche in 4th tender for Ventana.
November 1, 2007... E-Z-EM (Lake Success, New York) yesterday reported that it will be acquired by Bracco Diagnostics (Princeton, New Jersey), a subsidiary of Bracco Imaging and part of the Bracco Group (both Milan, Italy), for $241 million. Bracco will...

deCODE MI launched as test for early detection of MI risk.(International report)(myocardial infarction)
November 1, 2007... deCODE genetics (Reykjavik, Iceland) reported the launch deCODE MI, a reference laboratory test for variations in the genome (called SNPs) that the company has associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction, or heart attack. The...

Genoptix prices $85m offering; Nanosphere IPO seeks $95m.
November 1, 2007... Genoptix (Carlsbad, California) reported the pricing of its initial public offering of 5 million shares of common stock at a price of $17 per share--about $85 million before expenses--$1 higher than the company's initial estimated range of...

Midwest healthcare startups raise a 'record' $1 billion through 3Q07.
November 1, 2007... Midwest healthcare startups reported a record-breaking $1 billion in total investments for 104 companies through 3Q07, according to the BioEnerprise (Cleveland) Midwest Health Care Venture Investment Report. The previous full-year record...

Affymetrix files more infringement claims against embattled Illumina.(Patent watch)
November 1, 2007... Affymetrix (Santa Clara, California) reported that it has filed additional patent infringement lawsuits against Illumina (San Diego) in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, in the UK High Court of Justice, Chancery...

3M in marketing pact with Zargis for compatible technology.(Agreements)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... 3M (St. Paul, Minnesota) and Zargis Medical (Princeton, New Jersey) reported an exclusive multi-year marketing agreement. Zargis said it would support 3M in its efforts to develop a next-generation stethoscope that would be compatible with...

Strategic Diagnostics (Newark, Delaware) reported progress in collaborating with the Kleberg Center for Molecular Markers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston).(Agreements)
November 1, 2007... Strategic Diagnostics (Newark, Delaware) reported progress in collaborating with the Kleberg Center for Molecular Markers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). The center is testing the company's Genomic Antibody...

Accuray (Sunnyvale, California), which focuses on radiosurgery, said that the company is partnering with The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) to launch a prospective clinical study to compare treatment outcomes in early-stage operable lung cancer.(Agreements)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2007... Accuray (Sunnyvale, California), which focuses on radiosurgery, said that the company is partnering with The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston) to launch a prospective clinical study to compare treatment outcomes in...

Calypso Medical (Seattle) and Impac Medical Systems (Sunnyvale, California) have identified product collaboration projects which will further enable integration of oncology management systems with the Calypso 4-D localization system.(Agreements)
November 1, 2007... Calypso Medical (Seattle) and Impac Medical Systems (Sunnyvale, California) have identified product collaboration projects which will further enable integration of oncology management systems with the Calypso 4-D localization system. Designed...

Molecular diagnostics firm XDx files for IPO of up to $86.25m.(Financings roundup)
November 1, 2007... XDx (Brisbane, California) has filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed IPO valued at up to $86.25 million, with the number of shares and pricing to be determined. The company said it may...

HistoRx.(Financings roundup)
November 1, 2007... HistoRx (New Haven, Connecticut) reported that it has secured $6 million in a Series B private equity financing round, led by current investor Brook Venture Partners. The company said it will use the funds to advance development and...

NIAID allocates $51 million to fund immune system function research.(Contracts/grants)
November 1, 2007... A team of scientists is expanding efforts to develop a detailed picture of immune system function with a new $51 million, five-year contract from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes...

Sysmex America (Mundelein, Illinois) said that the company has been awarded a hematology contract extension by group purchasing organization MedAssets Supply Chain Systems (Atlanta).(Contract news)
November 1, 2007... Sysmex America (Mundelein, Illinois) said that the company has been awarded a hematology contract extension by group purchasing organization MedAssets Supply Chain Systems (Atlanta). The extension agreement provides MedAssets' customers access...

ZumaTek (Durham, North Carolina), a breast imaging company, reported it received a Small Business Innovative Research Phase 1 grant award from the National Cancer Institute of the NIH to continue R&D of dedicated imaging technologies for enhanced 3-D lesion detection.(Grant News)
November 1, 2007... ZumaTek (Durham, North Carolina), a breast imaging company, reported it received a Small Business Innovative Research Phase 1 grant award from the National Cancer Institute of the NIH to continue R&D of dedicated imaging technologies for...

Boston Micromachines (BMC; Watertown, Massachusetts), a provider of MEMS-based deformable mirror (DM) products for adaptive optics (AO), reported being awarded a $750,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) from the National Eye Institute (NEI) of the NIH.(Grant news)
November 1, 2007... Boston Micromachines (BMC; Watertown, Massachusetts), a provider of MEMS-based deformable mirror (DM) products for adaptive optics (AO), reported being awarded a $750,000 Phase II Small Business Innovation Research Grant (SBIR) from the...

Scientific instruments maker PerkinElmer (Waltham, Massachusetts) said it received antitrust clearance for its pending takeover of ViaCell (Cambridge, Massachusetts).
November 1, 2007... Scientific instruments maker PerkinElmer (Waltham, Massachusetts) said it received antitrust clearance for its pending takeover of ViaCell (Cambridge, Massachusetts). In October, PerkinElmer began a tender offer to buy the biotech company...

Celera (Rockville, Maryland) said it has completed the acquisition of substantially all assets of Atria Genetics (South San Francisco, California) for about $33 million in cash.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Celera (Rockville, Maryland) said it has completed the acquisition of substantially all assets of Atria Genetics (South San Francisco, California) for about $33 million in cash. The deal was first disclosed last month. Atria has a line...

Perlegen in license for breast cancer markers.(International report)
November 1, 2007... Perlegen Sciences (Mountain View, California) said it has obtained an exclusive license from Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialization office of the University of Cambridge in the UK, to the breast cancer markers identified through...

Hepatitis test kits get retail sale in SE Asia.(International report)
November 1, 2007... Medical Services International (MSI; Edmonton, Alberta) said it has agreed to supply VScan Hepatitis B & C test kits for retail sales in Southeast Asia through retail pharmaceutical outlets. MSI said it projects that it will sell up to...

Nanosphere.
November 1, 2007... Nanosphere (Northbrook, Illinois) reported that it has priced its previously disclosed initial public offering of 7 million shares at between $14 and $16, to raise proceeds of $95 million if the shares price at the midpoint of the offering. ...

OpGen (Madison, Wisconsin), a provider of microbial genome analysis, said that it has made an investment, along with a development agreement, in In-Q-Tel (Arlington, Virginia) for enhancement of new optical mapping systems.
November 1, 2007... OpGen (Madison, Wisconsin), a provider of microbial genome analysis, said that it has made an investment, along with a development agreement, in In-Q-Tel (Arlington, Virginia) for enhancement of new optical mapping systems. The investment...

American Bio Medica.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... American Bio Medica (Kinderhook, New York) said that it has launched, and has begun shipping, another new point-of-collection drug test, the Rapid TOX Cup; an all-inclusive drug testing cup. The cup doesn't require any manipulation of the...

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp; Burlington, North Carolina) reported that it now offers integrated screening and sequential screening tests under license from Intema Limited.(Product Briefs)
November 1, 2007... Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp; Burlington, North Carolina) reported that it now offers integrated screening and sequential screening tests under license from Intema Limited. When integrated screening and sequential...

Nanosphere.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Nanosphere (Northbrook, Illinois) reported FDA clearance for the Verigene F5/F2/MTHFR nucleic acid test, which detects disease-associated gene mutations that can contribute to blood coagulation disorders and difficulties metabolizing folate...

Roche Diagnostics.(Product Briefs)
November 1, 2007... Roche Diagnostics (Indianapolis, Indiana) says that its CoaguChek XS Plus system offers built-in controls and optional, external liquid controls to help non-waived clinics monitoring anticoagulation ensure accurate PT/INR (clotting time) test...

Royal Philips Electronics.(Product Briefs)
November 1, 2007... Royal Philips Electronics (Andover, Massachusetts) reported North American availability of the next release of Philips Xcelera, a multi-modality image management, physician reporting and information distribution system. Philips' enhanced...

SonoSite.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... SonoSite (Bothell, Washington), reported the introduction of the S-Cath visualization tool, a specialized ultrasound device designed to meet the specific point-of-care imaging and procedural guidance needs of interventional radiologists and...

Abaxis.(People in Places)
November 1, 2007... Donald Wood has been named VP of operations for Abaxis (Union City, California). Wood most recently served as VP of operations at Cholestech. Abaxis makes portable blood analysis systems.

InSight Health Services Holdings.(People in Places)
November 1, 2007... InSight Health Services Holdings (Lake Forest, California) said that Bret Jorgensen is leaving InSight as president/CEO, effective Nov. 15, to pursue other interests. He will remain as a consultant to the company for a six-month period during...

Misonix.(People in Places)
November 1, 2007... Michael Ryan has been named senior VP of the medical division of Misonix (Farmingdale, New York). Most recently Ryan served as senior VP and general manager of Nomos radiation oncology. Misonix makes ultrasonic medical device technology.

Radlink.(People in Places)
November 1, 2007... Bob Calissendorff has been named CFO of Radlink (Redondo Beach, California). Formerly, Calissendorff was VP at Pacific Capital. Radlink makes medical imaging systems.

Endoscopic capsules no longer a 'Given' market for pioneer.(United European Gastroenterology Week)(IntroMedic, Jinshan Group )
November 8, 2007... PARIS -- The $100 million market for pill cameras is no longer a given for Given Imaging (Yokneam, Israel), which pioneered this lower-cost and less-invasive technique for an optical diagnostic of gastrointestinal maladies. Three competing...

New endoscopes sharpen focus by a considerable magnitude.(United European Gastroenterology Week)(Mauna Kea Technologies)
November 8, 2007... PARIS -- In a future visit to the doctor, a colored bar on a plastic strip may tell you some bad news--that you have colorectal cancer (CRC). According to the National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, Maryland) in the U.S., any American has a...

Canadian study cites accuracy of HPV testing with Capture 2.(International report)(Clinical report)
November 8, 2007... The first randomized, controlled study in North America of HPV testing as a stand-alone screen concluded that it is almost 40% more accurate than the traditional Pap smear in identifying women with advanced cervical disease, according to a...

Telemonitoring takes face-to-face requirement out of doctor's visit.(Savings, better care ... but lacking reimbursement)
November 8, 2007... The need to ease disease while also cutting costs is ever-present, but who knew at the dawn of the Information Age that the old, hopefully trusty, dial-up connection might one day provide an improved link between patient and doctor? The...

Siemens closes $7b Dade buy; Mediware acquires IMS assets.(Deals roundup)
November 8, 2007... Siemens (Erlangen, Germany) said it has successfully completed the $7 billion acquisition of Dade Behring Holdings (Deerfield, Illinois). The laboratory diagnostics company joins the existing business of Siemens Medical Solutions...

Alliance Imaging (Anaheim, California), a provider of diagnostic imaging services, said its affiliate, Alliance Oncology (also Anaheim), bought the assets of eight radiation therapy centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri from Bethesda Resources, a subsidiary of Sonix (New York).(Deals roundup)
November 8, 2007... Alliance Imaging (Anaheim, California), a provider of diagnostic imaging services, said its affiliate, Alliance Oncology (also Anaheim), bought the assets of eight radiation therapy centers in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Missouri from...

Greatbatch (Clarence, New York) reported that its subsidiary, Electrochem Commercial Power, signed a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire Engineered Assemblies Corp. (EAC; Teterboro, New Jersey) for about $12 million in cash.(Deals roundup)
November 8, 2007... Greatbatch (Clarence, New York) reported that its subsidiary, Electrochem Commercial Power, signed a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire Engineered Assemblies Corp. (EAC; Teterboro, New Jersey) for about $12 million in cash. The...

Genoptix IPO nets $72.7 million; LabCorp in $500m share buyback.(Financings roundup)
November 8, 2007... Genoptix (Carlsbad, California) said it has closed its previously reported IPO of 5 million shares and that the underwriters of the offering have exercised in full their 30-day option to purchase an additional 750,000 shares of common stock,...

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings.(Financings roundup)
November 8, 2007... Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp; Burlington, North Carolina) reported that its board has authorized a new stock repurchase program under which it may purchase up to an aggregate of $500 million of its common stock from...

Ophthalmic Imaging Systems (OIS; Sacramento, California), a digital imaging company, reported that it issued $2.75 million of 6.5% convertible notes due 2010 in a transaction led by The Tail Wind Fund.(Financings roundup)
November 8, 2007... Ophthalmic Imaging Systems (OIS; Sacramento, California), a digital imaging company, reported that it issued $2.75 million of 6.5% convertible notes due 2010 in a transaction led by The Tail Wind Fund. OIS said it expects to use the net...

The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) reported that it has invested $150,000 in Applied Isotope Technologies (AIT; San Jose, California).(Financings roundup)
November 8, 2007... The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse (PLSG) reported that it has invested $150,000 in Applied Isotope Technologies (AIT; San Jose, California). AIT is an early-stage reagent manufacturer focused on developing reagents, standards and...

Sectra adds trauma templates from Synthes for orthopedics.(Agreements)(Brief article)
November 8, 2007... IT systems maker Sectra (Linkoping, Sweden) reported it will add trauma templates to its orthopedic product line-up as part of a new agreement with Synthes (Solothurn, Switzerland). Sectra will add Synthes' 1,600 trauma templates to its...

Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California), maker of diagnostics instruments in the U.S., said it has been awarded new three-year agreements with Amerinet (St. Louis) to provide a full range of core laboratory systems and supplies, valued at about $74 million a year.(Agreements)
November 8, 2007... Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California), maker of diagnostics instruments in the U.S., said it has been awarded new three-year agreements with Amerinet (St. Louis) to provide a full range of core laboratory systems and supplies, valued at about...

ImaRx Therapeutics (Tucson, Arizona) and Royal Philips Electronics (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) reported a new research alliance focused on using Philips' ultrasound technology as part of ImaRx's SonoLysis program to develop a new treatment for acute ischemic stroke.(Agreements)
November 8, 2007... ImaRx Therapeutics (Tucson, Arizona) and Royal Philips Electronics (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) reported a new research alliance focused on using Philips' ultrasound technology as part of ImaRx's SonoLysis program to develop a new treatment for...

Guardian Technologies International (Herndon, Virginia) is partnering with Delft Diagnostic Imaging (Veenendaal, the Netherlands) so that Guardian's Signature Mapping computer-aided-detection with visualization software will be integrated into the Delft Odelca-DR digital chest X-ray system.(Agreements)
November 8, 2007... Guardian Technologies International (Herndon, Virginia) is partnering with Delft Diagnostic Imaging (Veenendaal, the Netherlands) so that Guardian's Signature Mapping computer-aided-detection with visualization software will be integrated into...

Vermillion to get $2m for SELDI technology patents.(Patent Watch)
November 8, 2007... Vermillion (Fremont, California) reported that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a re-examination certificate of U.S. patent No. 6,734,022, which is directed to a fundamental process of SELDI mass spectrometry. As a result of...

Imaging Diagnostic Systems.(Patent Watch)
November 8, 2007... Imaging Diagnostic Systems (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) a developer of laser optical breast cancer imaging systems, reported that a patent, "Laser Imaging Apparatus Using Biomedical Markers That Bind to Cancer Cells" was issued to IMDS by the...

VISICU.(Patent Watch)(Brief article)
November 8, 2007... VISICU (Baltimore), a healthcare information technology and clinical solutions company focused on critical care, reported two developments regarding its intellectual property portfolio. First, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)...

Cerner (Kansas City, Missouri) inked a nine-year agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA, Washington, DC) to use the Cerner Millennium PathNet laboratory information system in more than 150 hospitals and 800 clinics in the VA system.(Agreements)
November 8, 2007... Cerner (Kansas City, Missouri) inked a nine-year agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA, Washington, DC) to use the Cerner Millennium PathNet laboratory information system in more than 150 hospitals and 800 clinics in the VA...

Avalon Healthcare (Tampa, Florida) signed an agreement with Tenet Healthcare (Dallas), which covers Tenet's 11 South Florida hospitals as well as its ambulatory surgery and imaging centers.(Agreements)
November 8, 2007... Avalon Healthcare (Tampa, Florida) signed an agreement with Tenet Healthcare (Dallas), which covers Tenet's 11 South Florida hospitals as well as its ambulatory surgery and imaging centers. Recently, Avalon signed direct hospital contracts...

American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, Virginia) reported a new alliance with The Valley Hospital (Ridgewood, New Jersey) to speed the development and validation of biomarkers for the early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.(Agreements)(Disease/Disorder overview)
November 8, 2007... American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, Virginia) ) reported a new alliance with The Valley Hospital (Ridgewood, New Jersey) to speed the development and validation of biomarkers for the early detection and treatment of pancreatic...

Hepatitis test kits at retail sale in SE Asia.(International report)
November 8, 2007... Medical Services International (MSI; Edmonton, Alberta) said it has agreed to supply VScan Hepatitis B & C test kits for retail sales in Southeast Asia through retail pharmaceutical outlets. MSI said it projects that it will sell up to...

Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, California) and BioNanomatrix (Philadelphia) said they have entered an alliance to develop a new genetic analysis system.(Agreements)
November 8, 2007... Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, California) and BioNanomatrix (Philadelphia) said they have entered an alliance to develop a new genetic analysis system. BioNanomatrix will apply its nanoscale single molecule imaging technology to develop...

Marshfield Clinic (Marshfield, Wisconsin) and Osmetech (London) reported an exclusive licensing agreement for a new warfarin biomarker discovered at Marshfield.(Deals roundup)
November 8, 2007... Marshfield Clinic (Marshfield, Wisconsin) and Osmetech (London) reported an exclusive licensing agreement for a new warfarin biomarker discovered at Marshfield. Osmetech, an international diagnostics business serving the molecular testing...

Direct Medical Systems.(Product Briefs)
November 8, 2007... Direct Medical Systems (San Francisco) has released a low-cost ultrasound system, the InNovaSound, a hand-held device that can be used during a typical outpatient visit. Immediate results can mean the difference between a prolonged life and a...

IRIS International.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
November 8, 2007... IRIS International (Chatsworth, California) said that its sample processing division has initiated shipments of its new, high speed, horizontal centrifuge, the StatSpin Express 4. The StatSpin uses a horizontal rotor for separating gel tubes in...

MGB Endoscopy (Berlin, Germany), in partnership with AltaSens (Thousand Oaks, California), reported the introduction of the MD-V camera, a high-definition video surgical instrument that delivers images with high resolution and high sensitivity at a real-time 60-fps frame rate.(Product Briefs)
November 8, 2007... MGB Endoscopy (Berlin, Germany), in partnership with AltaSens (Thousand Oaks, California), reported the introduction of the MD-V camera, a high-definition video surgical instrument that delivers images with high resolution and high sensitivity...

Royal Philips Electronics.(Product Briefs)
November 8, 2007... Royal Philips Electronics (Andover, Massachusetts) reported North American commercial availability of the next release of Philips Xcelera, a clinically-advanced, multi-modality image management, physician reporting and information distribution...

StatSure Diagnostic Systems (Framingham, Massachusetts) said that the FDA has approved a waiver under the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) for an HIV 1/2 rapid test employing the company's patented "barrel" technology.(Product Briefs)
November 8, 2007... StatSure Diagnostic Systems (Framingham, Massachusetts) said that the FDA has approved a waiver under the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) for an HIV 1/2 rapid test employing the company's patented "barrel" technology....

SonoSite.(Product Briefs)(Brief article)
November 8, 2007... SonoSite (Bothell, Washington), reported the introduction of the S-Cath visualization tool, a specialized ultrasound device designed to meet the specific point-of-care imaging and procedural guidance needs of interventional radiologists and...

Lab21.(People in Places)
November 8, 2007... Graham Mullis was named CEO of Lab21 (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Graham joins Lab21 from Optivue Ltd., where he was a co-founder. Lab21 is a provider of healthcare and environmental diagnostic products and services.

Radlink.(People in Places)
November 8, 2007... Bob Calissendorff has been named CFO of Radlink (Redondo Beach, California). Formerly, Calissendorff was VP at Pacific Capital. Radlink makes medical imaging systems.

SRU Biosystems.(People in Places)
November 8, 2007... Richard Wagner was named president/CEO of SRU Biosystems (Woburn, Massachusetts). He most recently was executive VP of research at Praecis Pharmaceuticals. SRU Biosystems makes highly sensitive labeled and label-free detection technologies.

'Intelligent' pills, active capsules to offer significant competition.(United European Gastroenterology Week)
November 15, 2007... PARIS -- The Millennium Research Group (Toronto) predicts that capsule endoscopy will "be a highly competitive market in the years ahead." The presentation of new ingestible camera capsules during the United European Gastroenterology Week...

Non-invasive emphasis often has best applications in diagnostics.(American Heart Association Scientific Sessions)(Kent Scientific, Medispec)
November 15, 2007... ORLANDO -- Are the exhibition areas at these big conferences getting swankier, the exhibits bigger and glitzier, the walk-away swag ever more enticing? Well, maybe not the swag, but the exhibition area of the scientific sessions of this...

LinkMed will invest in Swedish fluid measurement developer.(International report)(Likvor)
November 15, 2007... LinkMed (Stockholm, Sweden) said it is investing SEK 4 million in Likvor, which is developing an instrument to measure cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Likvor becomes the 12th company in LinkMed's portfolio. The company is currently carrying...

New STD/HPV test offers combo screening of most STDs, HPVs.
November 15, 2007... Seegene (Rockville, Maryland) is hoping to encourage more widespread screening of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs) with its new test designed to detect the most prevalent STDs and HPVs using a single...

Genzyme to pay $56.5 million to buy Diagnostic Chemicals.(Deals roundup)
November 15, 2007... Biotechnology giant Genzyme (Cambridge, Massachusetts) reported that it plans to acquire the diagnostics division of privately held Diagnostic Chemicals (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) for about $56.5 million. Diagnostic Chemicals'...

Israeli camera-in-a-pill maker Given Imaging (Jerusalem) said that InScope, a business of Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) has ended its agreement to market Given's PillCam in the U.S.(Deals roundup)
November 15, 2007... Israeli camera-in-a-pill maker Given Imaging (Jerusalem) said that InScope, a business of Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) has ended its agreement to market Given's PillCam in the U.S. The device is used to diagnose...

MedQuest (Alpharetta, Georgia), a national provider of diagnostic imaging services, has officially merged with Novant Health (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and will operate as a subsidiary of Novant.(Deals roundup)(Brief article)
November 15, 2007... MedQuest (Alpharetta, Georgia), a national provider of diagnostic imaging services, has officially merged with Novant Health (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and will operate as a subsidiary of Novant. Novant, which first disclosed the...

Prescient Medical.(Deals roundup)(Brief article)
November 15, 2007... Prescient Medical (Doylestown, Pennsylvania) said it has acquired a new technology designed to identify and quantify metabolic activity and inflammation in human artery tissue by measuring the time it takes for light to dissipate after the...

VRC to seek $82.8M in IPO; IMI in 7 million share offer.(Financings roundup)
November 15, 2007... Virtual Radiologic Corp. (VRC; Minnetonka, Minnesota) reported that it hopes to raise up to $82.8 million from its previously disclosed IPO scheduled to debut this week, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange...

Aspect Medical Systems (Norwood. Massachusetts), a developer of brain-monitoring technology, reported that it has entered into a letter agreement with Boston Scientific (Natick, Massachusetts) to waive specified provisions of the termination and repurchase agreement entered into by the companies in June.(Financings roundup)
November 15, 2007... Aspect Medical Systems (Norwood. Massachusetts), a developer of brain-monitoring technology, reported that it has entered into a letter agreement with Boston Scientific (Natick, Massachusetts) to waive specified provisions of the termination...

CDC data confirm correlation between COPD, heart disease.(APHA Annual Meeting)
November 15, 2007... WASHINGTON -- Device makers know that heart disease is a growing area of concern, and so do members of the American Public Health Association (APHA; Washington), their recent meeting including a session on the epidemiology of heart disease. ...

Gen-Probe and 3M terminate rapid molecular assays pact.(Agreements)(Brief article)
November 15, 2007... Gen-Probe (San Diego) reported that 3M (St. Paul, Minnesota) has informed it that it will no longer fund their joint collaboration to develop rapid molecular assays for the food testing industry. The companies expect to formally terminate the...

Radiotherapy Simulators and Accelerators (RS&A; Rural Hall, North Carolina), a provider in the U.S. Southeast of oncology equipment sales and service, reported an alliance with Radiology Oncology Systems (ROS; Exton, Pennsylvania) and Acceletronics (San Diego) to market and support the TheraView Electronic Portal Imaging for Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) verification.(Agreements)
November 15, 2007... Radiotherapy Simulators and Accelerators (RS&A; Rural Hall, North Carolina), a provider in the U.S. Southeast of oncology equipment sales and service, reported an alliance with Radiology Oncology Systems (ROS; Exton, Pennsylvania) and...

Vermillion (Fremont, California) reported that Ohio State University (OSU, Columbus) will offer Vermillion's diagnostic test for managing patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a hematologic disease.(Agreements)
November 15, 2007... Vermillion (Fremont, California) reported that Ohio State University (OSU, Columbus) will offer Vermillion's diagnostic test for managing patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a hematologic disease. Vermillion will license...

Aperio Technologies (Vista, California) reported it has secured an exclusive worldwide license from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL, New Mexico) for the use of LANL's Genetic Imagery Exploration (Genie Pro) image pattern recognition technology in the digital pathology market.(Agreements)
November 15, 2007... Aperio Technologies (Vista, California) reported it has secured an exclusive worldwide license from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL, New Mexico) for the use of LANL's Genetic Imagery Exploration (Genie Pro) image pattern recognition...

Bracco Diagnostics (Princeton, New Jersey) reported it was awarded a three-and-a-half-year agreement to provide X-ray contrast media to HealthTrust Purchasing Group (Brentwood, Tennessee) in a deal that includes Isovue (iopamidol injection) and ionic iodinated contrast media products.(Agreements)
November 15, 2007... Bracco Diagnostics (Princeton, New Jersey) reported it was awarded a three-and-a-half-year agreement to provide X-ray contrast media to HealthTrust Purchasing Group (Brentwood, Tennessee) in a deal that includes Isovue (iopamidol injection) and...

Exact gets warning for cancer test used outside 'home brew' rules.(Washington roundup)
November 15, 2007... Some of FDA's recent guidances have made it clear that the agency intends to play a larger role in its regulation of diagnostics, and a recent warning letter suggests that despite talks with the agency, a company can end up with a warning for...

FDA urged to revise breast biopsy rules.(Washington roundup)
November 15, 2007... The National Mammography Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (NMQAAC) has advised the FDA to lift the current exemption of stereotactic breast biopsy from the MQSA regulations. Nine out of 14 members of the committee voted in favor of...

Members chosen for new FDA committee.(Washington roundup)
November 15, 2007... FDA has selected 15 voting members to serve on its Risk Communication Advisory Committee. The committee will advise the agency about how best to communicate to the public about the risks and benefits of FDA-regulated products so as to...