tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-537311 2010-03-04T18:00:00-05:00 The Latest News In Medical Devices and Diagnostics. From FDC Reports, Windhover Information and Medtech Insight - The ULTIMATE free weekly device e-newsletter. TypePad tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e20120a8f2f29c970b 2010-03-04T18:00:00-05:00 2010-03-04T18:19:57-05:00

While the insurance industry and Big Pharma make headlines during the health care reform debate, medical device manufacturers shouldn't relax their guard for even a moment: From the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations, the device market is facing some of the most serious challenges to its profits in years. How aggressive will GPOs get with device companies? How has the tough economy impacted medical device funding? And what can manufacturers do to help insure their success in this rapidly shifting environment?

Josh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f634aa3970c 2010-03-04T17:30:29-05:00 2010-03-04T17:30:29-05:00

Dan Lemaitre, who steered CoreValve into a record breaking acquisition by Medtronic, has joined with venture capitalist Guido Neels to form a new device company, White Pine Medical Inc. Neels' firm Essex Woodlands Health Ventures is backing Lemaitre with $50 million.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f633f93970c 2010-03-04T17:19:40-05:00 2010-03-04T17:19:40-05:00

In a move that was somewhat abrupt, but hardly surprising, Novartis AG in late January announced that Joe Jimenez, who currently runs Novartis Pharma AG, would become the company's CEO, effective February 1. Long-time chairman and CEO David Vasella will remain as chairman. The announcement brings some closure to a process that began officially more than a year ago, as Novartis worked to get its succession planning right.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e20120a8fc4346970b 2010-03-04T16:46:33-05:00 2010-03-04T16:46:33-05:00

Medtech Insight -- Competition is spurring innovation in the hearing aid market and providers are excited at the prospect of adopting new products that can improve on existing treatments. The hottest area at the moment is implantable hearing aid devices. It's not a new concept, but it's one that many believe will command a significant share of the market.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e20120a8f21b2f970b 2010-03-03T10:09:15-05:00 2010-03-03T10:09:15-05:00

A new collaboration between the National Institutes of Health and FDA will spur research into new tools and methodologies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of innovative medical products.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f54c223970c 2010-03-02T16:54:33-05:00 2010-03-02T16:54:33-05:00

With government scrutiny on radiation exposure from medical imaging intensifying, computed tomography manufacturers announced a unified plan last week to incorporate radiation dose alerts into their products.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f4ec31d970c 2010-03-01T16:07:28-05:00 2010-03-01T16:07:55-05:00

Office of Device Evaluation Director Donna-Bea Tillman will step down March 26 to join Microsoft's health unit, she said in a March 1 email to staff.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f3b31df970c 2010-02-25T16:31:50-05:00 2010-02-25T16:32:41-05:00

Brief summaries of recent advances in device research and clinical trials, including a neural interface for prosthetic limbs, new tools to detect cancer, and results of a multicenter study of the costs of treating MRSA.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f3b0d23970c 2010-02-25T15:57:10-05:00 2010-02-25T15:57:10-05:00

One of the most innovative and creative orthopedic implant designers, the UK's Finsbury's Orthopedics never quite built the sales and distribution capability to enable it to capture the full value of its designs. The company's recent sale to DePuy underscores how much the orthopedics industry has changed since its earliest days.

Julia Uspaskikh tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83452f00669e201310f3ad4a7970c 2010-02-25T15:04:43-05:00 2010-02-25T15:04:43-05:00

Anyone with access to the right data can tell you which technologies and medical specialties are commanding the highest valuations from device VCs. But what would it be worth to know which companies will be commanding the top prices in the next year? A survey of more than a dozen VCs--who participated with a promise of anonymity--with money to invest draws a very clear picture about what investment opportunities they might find worth fighting over and the areas they'll ignore.

Julia Uspaskikh