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. Biomet slashes Q3 losses, sales rise nearly 7%
Biomet said today that it slashed its 3rd-quarter losses by nearly 80% and boosted sales by 6.6% as the privately-owned orthopedics giant prepares to go back on the stock market.
Warsaw, Ind.-based Biomet posted losses of -$65.9 million on sales of $822.5 million for the 3 months ended Feb. 28. Adjusted to exclude 1-time items, profits rose 13.1% compared with the same period last year, to $107.3 million. Read more
2. Conflicts in renal denervation, competition in valves
The American College of Cardiology’s annual Scientific Sessions are regularly a source of controversy and competition, but medtech titan Medtronic’s highly anticipated renal denervation study results may have been the most confounding.
Seemingly conflicting reports from Medtronic’s SYMPLICITY HTN-3 clinical trial and SYMPLICITY registry alternately painted renal denervation as either an ineffective treatment or a valuable option for patients with drug-resistant hypertension. Read more
1. Thoratec recall gets FDA’s highest-risk label following injuries, deaths
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — The FDA issued it’s highest-risk Class I warning after Thoratec recalled its HeartMate II implantable heart pumps over a controller issue that the FDA said was associated 4 patient deaths and 5 serious injuries.
Thoratec initiated the recall early last month, affecting devices distributed from August 2012 through this year, according to the FDA notice. Read more