Ventec Life Systems and General Motors have delivered more than 20,000 ventilators they built together at a GM plant, and GM plans to turn over production to the medtech company once their federal contract is completed, Ventec announced this week. Production of Ventec’s V+Pro critical care ventilators at the Kokomo, Ind., GM plant began in […]
coronavirus
Here at MassDevice — medtech's online business journal — we're covering news about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic daily. Here is the latest about coronavirus and the medical device industry, regulatory changes related to the pandemic, new tests for the virus, vaccine development, and much more.
Varex slides on missed Q3 projections, cuts workforce by 10%
Varex Imaging (NSDQ:VREX) shares took a massive hit today on third-quarter results that came up short of the consensus forecast. VREX shares were down -21% at $12.65 per share in midday trading today. The Salt Lake City-based X-ray imaging component maker posted losses of -$28.2 million, or -73¢ per share, on sales of $137.6 million for […]
Report: BD, Quidel struggle to supply antigen tests for COVID-19
Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) and Quidel are struggling to fulfill orders for rapid COVID-19 antigen tests as the virus continues to spread, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper reported today that the two companies, which are the only ones that have FDA emergency use authorizations to sell the rapid diagnostics, cannot keep up with […]
Verily launches clinical lab for COVID-19 testing
Google’s (NSDQ:GOOGL) Verily announced that it established a CLIA-certified lab to create additional lab capacity to support COVID-19 testing. The lab, at Verily’s San Francisco headquarters, is designed to support programs in the COVID-19 testing space as demand continues to increase while the pandemic goes on, including the company’s own return-to-work efforts for its own employees, […]
DoD paying Biomérieux subsidiary $3.1M to boost COVID-19 test production
The U.S. government announced that it signed a $3.1 million agreement with Biomérieux subsidiary BioFire to expand production of its COVID-19 test. Government funding came from the U.S. Defense Dept. (DoD), in coordination with the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to a news release. BioFire’s COVID-19 test received FDA emergency use authorization […]
Baxter gains EUA for renal replacement tech for critically ill children
Baxter (NYSE:BAX) announced today that it received FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) for its HF20 Set and ST Set for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Under EUA, the HF20 Set can deliver CRRT to treat patients of low weight (8-20 kg) and low blood volume who can’t tolerate a larger extracorporeal circuit volume in an acute […]
Russia claims to have first COVID-19 vaccine
Russian officials announced today that they will make a COVID-19 vaccine available to its citizens on a voluntary basis, with President Vladimir Putin saying the vaccine has gone through all necessary tests. The vaccine, developed at by the Gamaleya Institute in Moscow, will first become available to medical workers, teachers and at-risk groups. Kirill Dmitriev, […]
Hologic applies for pooled COVID-19 testing nod
Hologic (NSDQ:HOLX) announced today that it has self-validated use of its Aptima and Panther Fusion molecular diagnostic COVID-19 assays with pooled patient samples and applied for an FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) for pooled testing. Marlborough, Mass.-based Hologic is the third major company to announce it is seeking such authorization. Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) gained a pooled-sample testing […]
Integra ticks up on Street-beating Q2
Integra LifeSciences (NSDQ:IART) shares got a boost today on second-quarter results that came in ahead of the consensus forecast. The Princeton, N.J.-based medtech company posted losses of -$369,000, or $0.00 per share, on sales of $258.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020, for a bottom-line slide into the red on a sales decline […]
Medtech and COVID-19: 7 things you need to know
When COVID-19 set upon the U.S. in March, medtech executives only had a month at most to explain to analysts in quarterly calls how the pandemic was hitting their companies — not nearly enough time to understand the long-term impact. Three more months have passed since those quarterly calls, and we’re now wrapping up a […]
Report: Will Dr. Hahn crack under political pressure?
Many jobs have come with increased stress levels during the coronavirus pandemic, from ICU staff to Walmart greeters. Now officials who’ve been keeping tabs on FDA commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn are wondering whether he can weather the strain of defending science while working for the Trump administration, according to a New York Times report. Hahn […]