Say hello to MassDevice +3, a bite-sized view of the top three medtech stories of the day. This feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our 3 biggest and most influential stories from the day’s news to make sure you’re up to date on the headlines that continue to shape the medical device industry.
3. Intersect Ent launches Nova sinus implant trial
Intersect ENT said yesterday it enrolled the 1st patient in a trial of its Nova bioabsorbable steroid releasing sinus implant.
The implant is designed to prop open the sinuses and deliver anti-inflammatory medication after surgical interventions, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based company said. Read more
2. Ex-ConMed exec is Interventional Spine’s new Darling
Interventional Spine said it has tagged ex-ConMed executive and 25-year medical veteran Joseph Darling as its new vice president and COO.
Darling spent 7 years with ConMed, serving as the COO, executive veep and prez of ConMed Linvatec until February this year. Before his time at ConMed, Darling worked with Smith & Nephew, Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals, Baxter International and Abbott Laboratories. Read more
1. Ex-sales rep sues Cardiovascular Systems
A former sales rep for Cardiovascular Systems is suing the company, alleging that it ran a kickbacks and off-label marketing scheme to boost sales of its orbital atherectomy devices in violation of the False Claims Act.
The lawsuit, filed by ex-rep Travis Thams in July 2013 and unsealed this week, accuses St. Paul, Minn.-based CSI of inducing physicians to use its products by offering free, all-expense-paid training programs “followed by explicit demands by CSI employees that attendees use CSI products on future patients,” giving away product for free, 3rd-party referral channel marketing, and “sham Speaker Bureau payments for high-prescribers and others whom CSI sought to cultivate,” according to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for Western North Carolina. Read more
