> Medtronic announced regulatory approval Friday for a new device system that doctors can use to treat atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm problem that represents a growth market for medical manufacturers. Article
> Zimmer Holdings has completed the acquisition of Beijing Montagne Medical Device Co. The acquisition further enhances Zimmer's presence in the emerging Chinese market. Zimmer release
> Up to 75 new manufacturing jobs are to be created in Co Donegal over the next three years as part of a €10 million investment by U.S. firm Zeus. The South Carolina-headquartered company is to invest in a 3,700 square meter expansion of its Letterkenny facility. The investment is supported by the Government through IDA Ireland. Report
> ICU Medical recently secured a victory in a patent infringement case against RyMed Technologies. ICU Medical release
> Boston Scientific's board of directors has elected Kristina Johnson as a director, effective Jan. 1, 2011. Johnson previously served as a director of Boston Scientific before accepting an appointment in 2009 as Under Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. Boston Scientific release
> Royal Philips Electronics has initiated a German public-private partnership to advance the development of whole-body magnetic particle imaging systems and preclinical hybrid systems that combine MPI with magnetic resonance imaging. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has made a commitment to provide €10.6 million funding to the consortium partners. The target size of the consortium budget, comprising contributions from the German government and the consortium's public/private partners, is €20.3 million. Royal Philips release
> St. Jude Medical has announced the publication of results from an economic evaluation of the landmark FAME (Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) vs. Angiography in Multivessel Evaluation) trial, which confirmed FFR-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease improves patient outcomes and offers cost-saving benefits to the U.S. healthcare system. St. Jude release
> Itamar Medical has inked an agreement with Roche through which Itamar will develop an EndoPAT device designated for use with animal models, enabling pre-clinical studies examining the efficacy of various compounds in the early stage of drug development essential for later stage development in humans. Itamar release
And Finally... It's good to be a dog, even when you get dragged to the vet. In minutes, pets can be screened for a host of nasty diseases, like heartworm and Lyme disease. That's also good for Idexx Laboratories, the Westbrook, ME-based firm that makes testing equipment found in many veterinarians' offices. In the last eight years, Idexx, one of Maine's largest publicly traded companies, has doubled its work force in that state and tripled its worldwide revenue. More expansion is projected. Story