Bestselling author John Grisham has stepped out of the legal thriller genre to write The Tumor, a fictional tale centering around a very real medical technology: focused ultrasound. The book follows a fictional patient who is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, and the differences between treatment with current state-of-the-art tech and treatment with focused […]
Oncology
Advanced Medical Isotope hires IR firm Circadian Group
Advaned Medical Isotope Corp said Wednesday it hired medical device, pharma and biotech-focused investor relations firm Circadian Group. Newly-retained Circadian group will focus on presenting AMIC’s past success, current corporate profile and future catalysts to potential international investors. “Circadian Group is an excellent fit for AMIC. Circadian’s expertise in our industry at our stage of development, […]
Uptake Medical launches registry study for InterVapor lung device
Uptake Medical said today it launched a registry trial of its InterVapor system to investigate long-term clinical results in severe emphysema patients. The InterVapor uses heated water vapor to reduce bronchoscopic lung volume in patients with heterogenous upper lobe emphysema, the company said. “Until InterVapor, severe emphysema was typically treated either by requiring patients to […]
iCad closes VuComp cancer portfolio buyout
iCad (NSDQ:ICAD) said today it completed its acquisition of VuComp’s cancer detection portfolio, including the M-Vu computer aided detection technology platform. The buy includes a library of related clinical data as well as VuComp’s key personnel and existing customer base. iCad had previously acquired VuComp’s M-Vu breast density software product in April last year. “This […]
Medtronic buys Baylis Medical’s OsteoCool after FDA nod for spine cancer device
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today that it acquired Baylis Medical’s OsteoCool device for treating cancers that metastasize to the spine after the device won 510(k) clearance from the FDA last year. The original OsteoCool device 1st won 510(k) clearance in March 2012. A 2nd version landed another 510(k) in June 2015, and Montreal-based Baylis won a nod last […]
Good early data for Lumicell’s tumor-detecting system
An early trial of Lumicell’s surgical imaging agent returned promising results, according to findings published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine. Lumicell’s surgical imaging system is made up of a hand-held single-cell detection imaging device and a cancer-specific molecular imaging agent, the company said. The technology is designed to be optimized for specific cancer-types and surgical […]
Medical isotope maker Shine Medical raises $11.5m
Shine Medical raised $11.5 million in a new round of debt financing, according to an SEC filing posted today. Monona, Wis.-based Shine Medical produces radioactive isotopes for medical applications such as detecting and treating heart disease and cancer, according to the company’s website. The company’s main product is Molybdenum -99, which is used in Technetium-99m […]
Brain cancer: NovoCure looks to get 2nd-gen Optune device on the U.S. market
NovoCure (NSDQ:NVCR) said today that it applied for a supplemental pre-market approval from the FDA for the 2nd generation of its Optune device for treating glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. The FDA approved Optune’s 1st iteration in April 2011. It’s a mobile device that delivers low-intensity, intermediate frequency, alternating electric fields, referred to as “tumor treating fields,” […]
Perseon slashes workforce after $11m merger fails
Perseon Medical (NSDQ:PRSN) said yesterday that it laid off a “substantial” number of employees as it looks to stay afloat after the failure last month of an $11 million merger with Galil Medical. Salt Lake City-based Perseon, formerly known as BSD Medical, makes the MicroThermX microwave ablation device. The Galil merger, announced in October, foundered after not enough stockowners tendered […]
Theragenics buys Eckert & Ziegler brachytherapy seed biz
Theragenics (NYSE:TGX) said today it picked up Eckert & Ziegler’s U.S. and Canadian brachytherapy seed business. Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed by the companies. The transaction closed on the end of last year, and included U.S. and Candian customers and the rights to EZB’s AnchorSeed, VariStrand and other seed products, […]
Hologic picks up DiagnoCure PCA3 prostate marker assets for $4.7m
DiagnoCure said last week it sold its PCA3 prostate cancer biomarker assets to Hologic‘s (NSDQ:HOLX) subsidiary Gen-Probe for $4.7 million (C$6.5 million). The purchase is slated to include $4 million (C$5.5 million) in cash and the repurchase of 4.9 million series A convertible preferred shares of DiagnoCure held by Gen-Probe, valued at $744,229 (C$1 million). “The […]