Researchers in Pittsburgh and Boston are moving forward with research into two separate vaccine programs against SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. The work of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers is detailed in a paper published recently in EBioMedicine, which is published by the Lancet. Delivery of the vaccine involved a microneedle array to […]
Johnson & Johnson
European Commission scrutinizes J&J TachoSil buy
The European Commission said Wednesday that it has opened an in-depth investigation of the proposed $400 million acquisition of Takeda Pharmaceutical’s (TSE:4502;NYSE:TAK) TachoSil surgical sealant patch by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). The commission said it is concerned that the acquisition by J&J’s Ethicon unit may reduce competition and innovation for the supply of dual haemostatic patches, used […]
5 companies on the front lines of the coronavirus fight
Nancy Crotti, Managing Editor and Danielle Kirsh, Senior Editor Amid the stock market roller-coaster ride that began last month, medtech companies that make devices and diagnostic tests vital to fighting COVID-19 may ultimately fare better than others, but it’s hard to tell until the virus peaks and people get back to work. At midafternoon today, […]
7 ways the coronavirus is affecting medtech
Medtech companies face some tough times as the deadly coronavirus pandemic gains steam. But could this be the medical device industry’s Dunkirk, too? Just days ago, MassMEDIC president Brian Johnson made a call-out on LinkedIn for people to send ideas about how Massachusetts medical device companies could help fight COVID-19. He drew an analogy to […]
How will coronavirus affect medtech companies that rely on elective surgeries?
One thing is likely to hurt some medtech companies more than others during the coronavirus pandemic: an elective surgical procedure slowdown. This thought had begun to emerge last week among industry watchers, but a pair of tweets over the weekend gained thousands of “likes” and retweets. The American College of Surgeons called for hospitals to […]
Johnson & Johnson: Clinical study of potential coronavirus vaccine could start by end of year
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) said today that its Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. has forged a partnership with the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to support coronavirus vaccine development. Janssen and the virology lab led by Dr. Dan Barouch at BIDMC have started preclinical testing of multiple vaccine prospects, with the goal of identifying a COVID-19 […]
Medical device company stocks aren’t immune from coronavirus
Major U.S. medical device company stocks have generally performed as poorly as others over the past two weeks as the global coronavirus outbreak drive markets down. Among 20 of the largest U.S. companies on Medical Design & Outsourcing and MassDevice‘s annual Big 100 list, both the average and median decline in price was roughly 17% […]
J&J’s Ethicon wins lawsuit over hernia mesh
A New Jersey appeals court has thrown out a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and its Ethicon unit because the woman who had mesh implanted to correct a hernia could not identify its manufacturer. Plaintiffs Deborah Kline and her husband, Jeffrey Derstine, sued the companies in 2014, alleging that the polypropylene mesh implanted in Kline’s […]
Is Medtronic eyeing LivaNova for a takeover?
Some industry analysts are speculating that Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) might want to acquire LivaNova (NSDQ:LIVN) for its neuromodulation business. A source told financial intelligence company Reorg last week that someone pitched the idea to Medtronic, which would divest LivaNova’s cardiovascular business and “certain MDT cardiac surgery products.” “Five sector advisors said such a deal would make sense as […]
Could an Apple Watch app reduce stroke risks? Apple and J&J think so
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) announced today that they’ve opened enrollment for the Heartline Study, which will look at the ability of Apple Watch heart health features to reduce stroke risks. The Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos. of Johnson & Johnson, in collaboration with Apple, are looking for U.S. residents over 65 who have an iPhone 6s […]
J&J’s Ethicon mostly fends off Intuitive Surgical’s robotic surgery patent challenge
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) subsidiary Ethicon has kept most of a surgical robotics tool patent intact after a Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision on a challenge from rival Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG). The board’s decision, dated Feb. 18, involved an Ethicon patent for a “Shiftable Drive Interface for Robotically-Controlled Surgical Tool,” issued in 2013. Out of […]