MassDevice.com looked at some of the most talked-about medical device companies, based on trends in U.S. Google searches for the last 30 days.
Over the last month, Stryker Corp. (NYSE:SYK) topped the charts for most internet chatter, with a clutch of stories about former CEO Stephen MacMillan’s sudden resignation and the mystery surrounding it. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) generated a fair amount of buzz when it, too, announced the departure of its CEO, William Weldon, who will vacate the corner office mid-April. The company’s continuing metal-on-metal hip implant saga is also a source of headlines.
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) got some attention for a spat of legal issues relating to spinal products, as well as for narrowing its outlook in its latest earnings report. Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) saw mostly positive headlines this month, but much attention was paid to rumors of a possible private equity takeover. Finally, St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) announced new studies and touted regulatory wins for ablation, boasting an otherwise quiet month on the med-tech front.
Read on for more news and links to the stories that everyone was talking about this month.
Stryker
- Stryker CEO Stephen MacMillan resigns for “family reasons” – Feb. 9
- Stryker’s Wingspan brain stent gets a date with the FDA – Feb. 13
- Stryker, ex- CEO MacMillan still working on exit package – Feb. 14
- Ex-Stryker CEO Stephen MacMillan walks away with millions in severance and stock options – Feb. 24
- Stryker CEO: Rumors swirl over MacMillan’s departure – Feb. 28
- St. Jude and Stryker tie for most admired company for 2012 – March 2
Johnson & Johnson
- ASR hip implants, rejected in U.S., still sold overseas – Feb. 15
- Withdrawn hip PMA was “purely a business decision,” says J&J – Feb. 16
- J&J CEO: Weldon hands the corner office to Alex Gorsky – Feb. 21
- J&J hip recall: Emails detail FDA’s non-approvable letter – Feb. 22
- J&J looks to appease European regulators on Synthes deal – Feb. 23
- Buffett may back out of J&J – Feb. 27
- Hundreds of thousands exposed to toxic compounds from hip implants – Feb. 28
Medtronic
- MDT’s confidential witness still refuses to cough up Infuse docs – Feb. 2
- Judge denies NuVasive’s motion to render a MDT spinal patent invalid – Feb. 16
- Is Medtronic’s spine business headed to the auction block? – Feb. 21
- Medtronic slides on narrowed earnings outlook – Feb 21
- Medtronic creeps closer to an artificial pancreas for the U.S. market – Feb. 29
Boston Scientific
- Boston Scientific sags on Q4, 2011 results – Feb. 2
- Boston Scientific touts CE Mark for spinal stimulator lead – Feb. 7
- Moody’s raises Boston Scientific rating again – Feb. 13
- FDA approves BoSci’s Ion, Taxus stents for heart attack – Feb. 22
- Is Boston Scientific in line for a private equity takeover? – Feb. 24
St. Jude Medical
