MassDevice.com looked at some of the most talked-about medical device companies, based on trends in U.S. Google searches for the last 30 days.
Some shuffling took place to the medtech Internet chatter hierarchy during November, but industry giant Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) kept its ever-constant lead with headlines about acquisitions, emerging markets and legal matters.
Jumping up to 2nd place was St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ), which escaped its previous 4th place position with negative news for the company’s defibrillator leads that brought shares down to their lowest in the past year.
Covidien (NYSE:COV) managed to play a pretty quiet month while still gaining 2 steps on the list, climbing from a tie for last place to a solid 3rd place seat as it updated on its pharmaceutical spinout.
Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) was the subject of many headlines in November as new CEO Michael Mahoney officially took his seat in the corner office. The list was rounded out by GE Healthcare (NYSE:GE), with recall, layoff, acquisition and regulatory news.
Medtronic
- Medtronic closes $816M buyout of China Kanghui Holdings – November 1
- Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak: Emerging markets “the most important” – November 5
- Medtronic wins FDA expanded approval for Valiant thoracic stent graft system – November 9
- Appeals court upholds $74M Edwards Lifesciences win over Medtronic – November 13
- Court transfers another Medtronic/NuVasive patent case to California – November 16
- Medtronic treats 1st lower-risk U.S. patient in CoreValve trial – November 19
- Medtronic’s Endurant III graft looks good at 2 years – November 20
- Medtronic meets The Street, closes up on raised sales guidance – November 20
- Medtronic brass: Edwards lawsuit hits profits, but has no impact on CoreValve timeline – November 20
- Medtronic updates on Symplicity high blood pressure device – November 21
- Endotach sues Medtronic over stent graft patents – November 23
- Medtronic moves to dismiss Infuse kickbacks lawsuit – November 27
St. Jude Medical
- St. Jude lays off another 500 amid ongoing company-wide overhaul – November 1
- St. Jude Medical sues AorTech, wins injunction – November 8
- St. Jude touts low failure rates for Durata, Riata ST Optim heart device leads – November 9
- St. Jude Medical lawyer returns to previous firm – November 15
- St. Jude Medical wins European approval for heart valve – November 19
- FDA slams St. Jude Medical over Durata pacemaker leads – November 21
- St. Jude shares hit new low following FDA report – November 26
- Heart valves: St. Jude Medical reports 1st transapical TAVI patient – November 26
- Citigroup downgrades St. Jude Medical, upgrades rivals on possible Durata withdrawal – November 26
- St. Jude touts Euro approval for updated CRM implants – November 28
- Body Science adds St. Jude Medical to remote monitoring lawsuits – November 29
- St. Jude Medical OKs $1B share repurchasing plan – November 30
Covidien
- Covidien jumps on fiscal 2012 results, confirms 2013 outlook – November 9
- Covidien updates on pharma spinout – November 27
Boston Scientific
- Boston Scientific’s new CEO takes the reins – November 1
- Boston Scientific details CEO swap, Kucheman’s retirement – November 1
- Boston Scientific: Better heart implant programming means fewer unnecessary shocks – November 7
- Boston Scientific reveals California AG probe, whistleblower suit – November 7
- Boston Scientific gets in the high blood pressure game with $425M Vessix deal – November 8
- Boston Scientific to move global headquarters out of Natick – November 8
- Vessix in hand, Boston Scientific targets Medtronic in high blood pressure market – November 8
- Cardium Therapeutics claims patent win over Boston Scientific – November 21
- Boston Scientific lands Euro nod for extended heart implant battery life – November 21
- Boston Scientific launches Synergy stent trial – November 30
GE Healthcare
- GE warns U.K. docs on software flaw in Centricity PACS imaging systems – November 5
- Acquisition: GE Healthcare acquires U-Systems’ breast ultrasound screening technology – November 9
- GE Healthcare cuts jobs in Vermont – November 16
- GE Healthcare wins FDA nod for “breakthrough” FlightPlan for Liver – November 27
- Merit Medical to pay $167M for GE Healthcare’s Thomas Medical OEM vascular access biz – November 27