Say hello to MassDevice +5, a bite-sized view of the top five medtech stories of the day. This feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our 5 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.
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5. One Drop, MannKind ink partnership for connected, inhaled diabetes tech
MannKind Corp. and One Drop said today that the companies agreed to ink a collaborative deal to add MannKind’s Afrezza inhaled insulin to One Drop’s digital diabetes management platform.
The group plans to evaluate access and cost saving initiatives, customized patient coaching and innovative packaging for a reusable Afrezza inhaler integrated with Bluetooth tech. Read more
4. AtriCure’s Q1 numbers top estimates
AtriCure beat the consensus forecast at both the top and bottom lines with its 1st-quarter results, sending share prices up 3% today.
Losses for the Mason, Ohio-based medical device company rose4.7% to -$10.2 million, or -32¢ per share, on sales growth of 14.8% for the 3 months ended March 31. Analysts on Wall Street were looking for losses of -35¢ on sales of $40.3 million. Read more
3. Scopis launches mixed reality spinal surgery navigator with Microsoft’s HoloLens
Scopis Medical said today it launched the Holographic Navigation Platform, a system for spinal surgeries which incorporates Microsoft‘s HoloLens mixed reality system.
To use the system, the operating suergon wears the Microsoft HoloLens glasses which communicates wirelessly with Scopis’ Navigation Platform. The system overlays the planned position of the pedicle screws onto the patient in the surgeon’s field of vision using the mixed-reality system, the Cambridge, Mass.-based company said. Read more
2. Smith & Nephew gains as emerging markets boost Q1 results
Smith & Nephew shares are up today in London and New York after the British medical device giant said emerging markets drove strong 1st-quarter results.
Overall sales grew 0.4% to $1.14 billion and 3% on a constant-currency basis for the 3 months ended April 1, the company said. Smith & Nephew no longer reports quarterly profits or earnings. Although sales fell in both the U.S. and established markets overseas, emerging market revenues jumped 13.1% to $173 million compared with Q1 2016. Read more
1. Clock starts on tightened EU medical device regulations
The clock started ticking today on tighter new regulations for the medical device and in vitro diagnostic industries in Europe when the European Commission published the new rules.
The regulations, approved last month by the European Parliament, include stronger post-market surveillance rules and adding a safety check for high-risk devices. The new EU rules, which also mandate a unique identification system and implant cards for patients, are slated to go into effect 3 years from today for medical devices and 5 years for IVD products. Read more