Chip to test toxicity of drugs eyed; Covidien creates R&D center in Shanghai;

> Researchers are planning to design a chip that can see if new drugs are toxic before they are tested in people. The chip could potentially speed up the development of new meds. Item

> Covidien ($COV) has announced the creation of its flagship R&D center for China in Shanghai. As a result of the new center, the 25-member R&D staff that Covidien currently employs in Shanghai will increase to more than 300 once the 100,000-square-foot facility is completed. Story

> Baxter International ($BAX) has posted profits in its last two quarters, but the medical-products company faces speed bumps in the near future, investment advisers say. Piece

> Johnson & Johnson's ($JNJ) insistence on enforcing a non-compete agreement to keep Michael Mahoney from joining Boston Scientific as CEO led to the unusual terms for his joining his new employer. Article

> Cosmetic laser maker Palomar Medical Technologies will receive $31 million plus royalties from Syneron Medical in a settlement of a patent-infringement dispute over hair-removal systems. Report

> Michigan's EndOclear has raised money to develop a medical device to clear away film and blockages in breathing tubes. More

And Finally... Voltage regulators, infrared sensor technology and ultrasound scanners are lying redundant in the world's poorest countries. Indeed, roughly 75% of medical devices given by rich countries to developing nations remain unused, according to the World Health Organization. To remedy this situation, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers has called for the development of technologies better suited to emerging nations and displayed a range of technologies specifically engineered to work in challenging environments. News