Cardiovascular Device Update articles from August 2003

Cardiovascular Device Update archives from August 2003

Robust growth is forecast for endovascular repair of AAAs.
August 1, 2003... An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a balloon-like enlargement of the aorta, a vessel one-inch (2.5 cm) in diameter that is the largest blood vessel in the body, supplying blood to most organs. An enlarged aorta is considered to be an...

Guidant, Medtronic report cardiac stent development gains.(Guidant Corp.)(Medtronic Inc.)
August 1, 2003... Two powerhouse medical device companies reported significant developments in their cardiovascular stent programs in mid-July, with an emphasis on new, lighter materials. Guidant (Indianapolis, Indiana) gained U.S. approval for a significant new...

Antibody-coated stent has different approach to halting restenosis.
August 1, 2003... A Canadian physician has developed a device that could replace drug-eluting stents in preventing restenosis or re-narrowing of coronary arteries and help to heal diseased arteries. The first implantation of an antibody-coated stent on a human...

Linking clot-busting drugs to red blood cells.(From the Lab)
August 1, 2003... The most striking and deadly example of thrombotic disease is atherosclerosis, in which unwanted clots build up in the coronary arteries that nourish the heart. Also, a clot fragment in a leg can break loose and hitchhike via the bloodstream...

German healthcare reforms ready to start.(Report from Europe)(various articles on health care reform, cather-based infection prevention, and deep vein thrombosis treatments)
August 1, 2003... German news media reported last month that the center-left government headed by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and the conservative Christian Democrat opposition had reached agreement on a wide-ranging plan to cut healthcare costs in the country...

Abbot Laboratories (Abbott Park, Illinois) completed the asset purchase of the coronary and peripheral interventional business line of the Jomed Group (Helsingborg, Sweden) for a cash purchase price of EUR 60 million.(Acquisitions)(JOMED N.V.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, Illinois) completed the asset purchase of the coronary and peripheral interventional business line of the Jomed Group (Helsingborg, Sweden) for a cash purchase price of EUR 60 million. Jomed's line of...

Medamicus (Plymouth, Minnesota) entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the operating assets of Biomec Cardiovascular (BCI; Minneapolis, Minnesota), a developer and manufacturer of implantable stimulation leads, lead delivery systems and accessories for cardiac rhythm management and neuromodulation.(Acquisitions)(MedAmicus Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Medamicus (Plymouth, Minnesota) entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the operating assets of Biomec Cardiovascular (BCI; Minneapolis, Minnesota), a developer and manufacturer of implantable stimulation leads, lead delivery systems and...

Intuitive Surgical (Mountain View, California) has closed its merger with Computer Motion (Santa Barbara, California).(Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Intuitive Surgical (Mountain View, California) has closed its merger with Computer Motion (Santa Barbara, California). The two robotic surgery companies said the merger was closed via approvals by stockholders of the two companies at special...

Teleflex Medical (Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania) reported that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Genzyme's (Cambridge, Massachusetts) cardiothoracic devices business (Fall River, Massachusetts) for $32.4 million in cash and about $8 million in assumed trade obligations.(Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Teleflex Medical (Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania) reported that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Genzyme's (Cambridge, Massachusetts) cardiothoracic devices business (Fall River, Massachusetts) for $32.4 million in cash and...

Thoratec's (Pleasanton, California) International Technidyne (ITC; Edison, New Jersey) subsidiary entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire the IRMA Immediate Response Mobile Analysis (IRMA) point-of-care blood analysis system product line from Diametrics Medical (Roseville, Minnesota).(Acquisitions)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Thoratec's (Pleasanton, California) International Technidyne (ITC; Edison, New Jersey) subsidiary entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire the IRMA Immediate Response Mobile Analysis (IRMA) point-of-care blood analysis system product...

Volcano Therapeutics (Rancho Cordova, California) completed the purchase of the global intravascular ultrasound and functional measurement businesses from Jomed.(Acquisitions)(JOMED N.V.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Volcano Therapeutics (Rancho Cordova, California) completed the purchase of the global intravascular ultrasound and functional measurement businesses from Jomed. Volcano said that the purchase supports its strategy "to build on Volcano's...

Abiomed targets total heart pump spectrum.(Business Developments)(ABIOMED Inc.)
August 1, 2003... In a webcast conference call last month, replacement heart manufacturer Abiomed (Danvers, Massachusetts) provided a sketchy overview of its current activities, with that overview tending to underline at least two critical points for the...

AmeriNet (St. Louis, Missouri), a healthcare group purchasing organization, has renewed its immuno-assay agreement with Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California).(Agreements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... AmeriNet (St. Louis, Missouri), a healthcare group purchasing organization, has renewed its immuno-assay agreement with Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California). The three-year contract is valued at $60 million. The renewal includes pricing...

CardioTech International (Woburn, Massachusetts) said its Gish' Biomedical (Rancho Santa Margarita, California) subsidiary and Vital/Med Systems (Castle Rock, Colorado) have signed an agreement to distribute the Gish line of the heart and lung products in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Montana and Nevada.(Agreements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... CardioTech International (Woburn, Massachusetts) said its Gish Biomedical (Rancho Santa Margarita, California) subsidiary and Vital/Med Systems (Castle Rock, Colorado) have signed an agreement to distribute the Gish line of heart and lung...

eResearchTechnology.(Agreements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... eResearchTechnology (eRT; Philadelphia), a provider of centralized electrocardiographic (ECG) collection and interpretation services, said it has received an agreement for more than $900,000 in cardiac safety monitoring and services from an...

Pulsion Medical Systems AG (Munich, Germany), a life science company specializing in medical diagnosis and therapy systems, and Philips Medical Systems (Andover, Massachusetts), a market leader in patient monitoring systems, have changed their previous worldwide exclusive strategic alliance for marketing the PiCCO technology in a non-exclusive alliance.(Agreements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Pulsion Medical Systems AG (Munich, Germany), a life science company specializing in medical diagnosis and therapy systems, and Philips Medical Systems (Andover, Massachusetts), a market leader in patient monitoring systems, have changed their...

Quinton Cardiology Systems (Bothell, Washington) and Cardiac Science (Irvine, California), a manufacturer of automated public access defibrillators, jointly announced an agreement under which Cardiac Science will manufacture its automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for sale by Quinton under the Burdick brand name.(Agreements)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Quinton Cardiology Systems (Bothell, Washington) and Cardiac Science (Irvine, California), a manufacturer of automated public access defibrillators, jointly announced an agreement under which Cardiac Science will manufacture its automated...

Study warns of a growing AF burden.(Market Updates)(rise in atrial fibrillation hospitalizations)
August 1, 2003... A report in the July 29 issue of Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association (AHA; Dallas, Texas), says that prevention and education efforts must be pursued to curb the growing trend of hospitalizations for atrial fibrillation...

3F Therapeutics.(Personnel File)(3F Therapeutics Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... 3F Therapeutics (Lake Forest, California/Brussels, Belgium) reported three additions to its senior management team. LeRoy LeNarz III, MD, has been named vice president of clinical affairs. Previously LeNarz was global head of the stent program...

Cardima.(Personnel File)(chief financial officer selected)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Barry Michaels has been named chief financial officer and secretary of Cardima (Fremont, California). Michaels has been a consultant to medical device and technology companies since 1997. In addition to his consulting practice, Michaels served...

EndoTex Interventional Systems.(Personnel File)(president and chief executive officer selected)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Joseph Tartaglia has been named president and chief executive officer of EndoTex Interventional Systems (Cupertino, California). Most recently, Tartaglia was president and chief operating officer of NeoGuide Systems. EndoTex Interventional...

Novoste.(Personnel File)(chief financial officer of Novoste Corp. resigns)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Novoste (Norcross, Georgia) announced the resignation of Edwin Cordell Jr., its chief financial officer. Subhash Sarda, company controller, will serve as the acting chief financial officer and principal financial and accounting officer until a...

PDSHeart.(Personnel File)(regional managers selected)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... PDSHeart (West Palm Beach, Florida) reported the addition of three regional managers to lead its efforts to expand its cardiac event monitoring services in Texas. Named were Brad Blum, George Johnson and Thoms Martin.

Quinton Cardiology Systems.(Personnel File)(president promoted to chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... John Hinson, president of Quinton Cardiology Systems (Bothell, Washington) has been appointed to the additional post of chief executive officer, effective Sept. 1, part of a planned transition. Ruediger Naumann-Etienne, PhD, chairman and...

Revivant.(Personnel File)(Revivant Corp. selects president and chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Kenneth Ludlum has been appointed president and chief executive officer for Revivant (Sunnyvale, California). Most recently, Ludlum was an advisor and consultant to several companies in the medical technology and biotechnology industries,...

Renewal 3 continues Guidant's CHF flow.(Product Pipeline)(Guidant Corp.)(congestive heart failure )
August 1, 2003... Continuing its rapid pace of product approvals, Guidant (Indianapolis, Indiana) last month received the FDA's okay for the newest iteration of its cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D)--the Contak Renewal 3 system. The Renewal...