Medtronic's Symplicity wows with three-year data; LabCorp raising $400M;

@FierceMedDev: New feature: Q3's top 5 diagnostics VC deals. Special report | Follow @FierceMedDev

> Medtronic's ($MDT) market-leading Symplicity renal denervation system posted an average 33-mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure at three years, the longest-term data available on any such technology. More

> LabCorp ($LH) is raising $400 million in senior notes, planning to use the proceeds to pay down debt. News

> Qiagen ($QGEN) posted a 6% sales increase in the third quarter, notching $323.8 million on the way to $40.7 million in net income, a 39% jump over the same period last year. Results

> Sequenom ($SQNM) has partnered with Enzo Biochem ($ENZ) to market its MaterniT21 Plus test, a prenatal diagnostic for chromosomal abnormalities. Release

> China's new free trade zone in Shanghai potentially offers major opportunities for medical device companies. Story

> Virginia's Raumedic won FDA clearance for Neurovent-PTO, a catheter that measures intracranial pressure, intracranial temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Item

> Panasonic has launched HOSPI-R in Japan, marketing a smiley-faced robot that autonomously carts samples and drugs around hospitals to save time for nurses. Article

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: Still trending: The ax drops at troubled Merck as big restructuring gets underway. Article | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: We'll have some hiring news soon. but in the meantime still looking for a savvy devices writer. Also, have my eye out for a U.K. writer. | Follow @JohnCFierce

@DamianFierce: Ex-Calistoga chief Gallagher joins VC Frazier Healthcare to steer biotech bets. ICYMI yesterday | Follow @DamianFierce

@EmilyMFierce: Check out my report on 5 promising preclinical drug programs. Special report | Follow @EmilyMFierce

> Arno Therapeutics banks $30M with billionaire backing and a promising cancer drug. Report

> Immune Design recruits new team, lands $32.5M for immunotherapies. News

> Pfizer bets big on PCSK9 with 'massive' Phase III outcomes study. Story

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: Tuesday's top news: Vertex to slash 370 jobs in shift away from hep C drug Incivek. Report | Follow @FiercePharma

@EricPFierce: Wockhardt profits crater as bans by FDA MHRA start to take a toll. FiercePharmaManufacturing story | Follow @EricPFierce

@CarlyHFierce: Wondering which companies will be hardest-hit by patent losses in 2014? Special report | Follow @CarlyHFierce

> Teva CEO Jeremy Levin steps down amid board squabble. More

> GSK closing plant ASAP, gives workers pay instead of notice. Article

Biomarkers News

> Hopkins team spotlights biomarkers ratio that tags presymptomatic Alzheimer's. More

> Researchers inch closer to breath test for lung cancer. Report

> Biomarker flags patient response to certain melanoma treatments. Story

> GE wins FDA approval for a second Alzheimer's imaging agent. Item

> Inova picks up rheumatoid arthritis biomarkers from Dutch university. Article

Drug Delivery News

@MichaelGFierce: promises new frontier as decides how to regulate. Editor's corner | Follow @MichaelGFierce

> Mesoporous delivery technique allows key compounds to aid stem cell transplant. Article

> Pulmatrix heralds early stage results for COPD dry powder tech. More

> Alnylam pushes for PhI trial of orphan hemophilia RNAi drug. Story

> Dual-surface Janus nanoparticle offers cancer diagnosis, drug delivery. Article

> Layered nanoparticles deliver RNA, chemo for one-two punch. Item

Diagnostics News

@MarkHFierce: DARPA is hard at work at a brain monitoring implant to help combat depression and other conditions. FierceMedicalDevices item | Follow @MarkHFierce

> Quest sued by Myriad in flap over BRCA test patents. Item

> Swedish team tracks down soft tissue pain with PET scanner. Story

> GE Healthcare eyes 2014 for U.S. launch of Alzheimer's imaging agent. More

> NextCODE CEO predicts rapid Dx growth with licensed deCODE sequencing tech. Story

> Johns Hopkins blood test points possible way toward early pancreatic cancer detection. Article