Abbott to commence with $3B share repurchase; Smith & Nephew nabs Indian orthopedic outfit;

 @FierceMedDev: Amaranth's dissolving cardiac stent drives $25M fundraising round. Story | Follow @FierceMedDev

 @DamianFierce: ADC superstar Ambrx is reaching out to WuXi to develop a cancer drug of its own. More from FierceCRO | Follow @DamianFierce

 @MarkHFierce: Curious to hear from readers--what device and diagnostics companies do you see as major M&A targets through the rest of 2013? LinkedIn discussion | Follow @MarkHFierce

 @MichaelGFierce: Drug-carrying 'nanovolcanoes' make precise delivery structures. From FierceDrugDelivery | Follow @MichaelGFierce

> Abbott ($ABT) just gained board approval to pursue a $3 billion share repurchase program. Item

> Covidien ($COV) says its Pipeline embolization device met its primary endpoints in a pivotal study published in the June issue of Radiology. Release   

> Smith & Nephew ($SNN) recently snatched up Adler Mediequip Private Limited, an Indian maker of orthopedic trauma products for the country's domestic market. Story

> Uroplasty, a Minnesota maker of devices to treat incontinence, has placed its chief financial officer on leave while it pursues an investigation into how the company counts orders and sales-commission payments. Story

> CytoSorbents will commence with a human pilot study using its CytoSorb blood purification device to treat rhabdomyolysis resulting from trauma--a condition that can lead to kidney failure. Release

> Two Irish medical device companies will take part in FaBiMed, a European Commission-led project designed to develop new manufacturing techniques for the industry. Story

> VirtualScopics, a maker of imaging devices, is losing its chief business and financial officer. Molly Henderson is leaving the company at the end of summer to move to Europe. Item

> HeartWare International won conditional approval for an FDA investigational device exemption supplement, allowing it to add an additional patient cohort to its ENDURANCE pivotal trial, which tests its ventricular assist system as a destination therapy for heart failure patients. Item

Biotech News

 @FierceBiotech: ICYMI: Merck's new R&D chief Perlmutter begins major shakeup. Report | Follow @FierceBiotech

 @JohnCFierce: J&J snags another promising prostate cancer drug in $1B Aragon buyout. News | Follow @JohnCFierce

 @RyanMFierce: 2013 Fierce 15 survey: Tell us who you think will be the next Aragon or privately held biotech to get acquired. Submit your nominations now | Follow @RyanMFierce

 @EmilyMFierce: Inovio says H7N9 bird flu vaccine effective in mice. Article | Follow @EmilyMFierce

> OncoNova files $75M IPO as new offerings sizzle. Story

> Investors snub Elan deals, but buyback win could scuttle hostile offer. Report

> Index Ventures taps Big Pharma-backed fund to hatch anticoagulant upstart. News

Pharma News

 @FiercePharma: Supremes rule in pay-for-delay case: 5-3 vote slaps down AbbVie/Actavis plea for protection from lawsuits over patent settlements. | Follow @FiercePharma

> With $135M rights deal, Questcor locks up rival to its pricey Acthar drug. Story

> Novo's quick-selling Victoza threatened by Lilly diabetes hopeful. More

CRO News

> Synexus wins Pfizer's favor for South African trials. More

> Ash Stevens signs on for Ariad's blockbuster contender. Item

> Ambrx taps WuXi for HER2-targeting cancer drug. Report

> Almac adding 229 jobs in Irish CMO expansion. Article

> Catalent puts $35M into CMO plant. Story

> MPI teams up with imaging outfits to woo drug developers. News

Biotech IT News

> Berkeley professor: Genomic data leaks seem inevitable. More

> Cancer Research UK mulls multiple video game options. Report

> 23andMe seeks consumer boost in long-range data strategy. Story

> FDA joins chorus of concern about cybersecurity threats. More

> Firm tries startup's tech tricks for clinical trial recruitment. Article