Pixium Vision (EPA:PIX) said today that its Iris II ‘bionic eye’ won NUB 1 reimbursement status from the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System. The company’s epi-retinal implant has 150 electrodes and a bio-inspired camera intended for patients who have lost sight due to retinitis pigmentosa. A computer processes images captured by the camera and […]
Wall Street Beat
Hologic to buy Cynosure in $1.65B deal
Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) said today that it landed a deal to acquire Cynosure Inc. (NSDQ:CYNO) and its portfolio of medical aesthetics products for $1.65 billion. Marlborough, Mass.-based Hologic offered $66 per share – a 28% premium compared to Cynosure’s close yesterday. The transaction, which has a reported enterprise value of $1.44 billion, comes 1 day after Allergan […]
TransEnterix touts French debut for Senhance robot-assisted surgery device
TransEnterix (NYSE:TRXC) yesterday touted the 1st clinical use in France of its Senhance robot-assisted surgery platform. The 1st French case, performed by Dr. Celine Chauleur of CHU Saint-Ètienne, was a hysterectomy to treat endometrial cancer with pelvic lymphadenectomy Feb. 7. The patient was discharged less than 24 hours after surgery, Morrisville, N.C.-based TransEnterix said. “I am very pleased […]
Teva Pharmaceutical beats Q4 earnings, sales estimates
Shares in Teva Pharmaceutical (NYSE:TEVA) rose today after the pharmaceutical company met expectations on Wall Street with its 4th quarter results. The Israel-based company posted a loss of -$974 million on sales of $6.49 billion for the 3 months ended Dec. 31, for bottom-line loss of -296% on sales growth of 33% compared with the same period last […]
Marathon hikes MD drug price 70x to $89k a year
After winning FDA approval for its muscular dystrophy drug last week, Marathon Pharmaceuticals set the drug’s list price at $89,000 a year – 50 to 70 times greater than what most U.S. patients have paid for decades by importing the drug from Europe. Marathon’s drug is a corticosteroid, deflazacort, that has been shown to improve muscular […]
Medtronic debuts outcomes training program for EMEA
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today that it’s launching a outcomes-based training program in Europe, the Middle East & Africa that aims to reach 500,000 healthcare providers over the next 5 years. It’s part of the push toward “value-based healthcare” for the world’s largest pure-play medical device maker, which chairman & CEO Omar Ishrak has championed for […]
Democratic senators float bill to protect ‘scientific integrity’
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) introduced a bill this week that aims to protect and promote ‘scientific integrity’. The legislation builds on policies from former President Barack Obama’s 2009 executive order, which required federal agencies to define how they planned to safeguard scientific integrity. The bill, which has 27 co-signers and has been referred to the Committee […]
GAO flags gaps in FDA’s adverse event system in power morcellator report
Limitations in the FDA’s adverse event reporting system for medical devices helped allow the widespread use of laparoscopic power morcellators for years before the risk that they can spread cancer became known, a government watchdog said this week. Medical device manufacturers and importers are required to tell the FDA about any device-related adverse events within 30 days. “FDA […]
Immunomedics, Seattle Genetics ink $2B deal for antibody-drug conjugate
Immunomedics (NSDQ:IMMU) said it landed an exclusive global licensing agreement with Seattle Genetics (NSDQ:SGEN) for Immunomedics’ antibody-drug conjugate, IMMU-132, for the treatment of solid tumors. The deal could potentially bring in $2 billion plus royalties for Immunomedics. According to the deal, Seattle Genetics is responsible for developing, funding, manufacturing and commercializing IMMU-132. The Washington-based company will […]
Senators question Kaleo over pricey opioid overdose device
In a letter signed by 30 U.S. senators, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) asked Kaleo Pharmaceutical to explain the 550% price hike for its Evzio opioid overdose device. The company’s product, which Kaleo sold for $690 in 2014, is priced at $4,500. Evzio is a naloxone auto-injector designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It can […]
Senate confirms Price as HHS chief
The Senate confirmed Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to head the Health & Humans Services Dept. in a 52-47 vote early this morning. No Democratic senator voted to support the new administration’s nominee, but he was passed through in the Republican-majority Senate. Democrats spent hours last night protesting his confirmation, pushing the vote until 2 A.M. […]