MVM Life Science Partners has closed a $233 million fourth fund to invest in technologies, therapeutics, medical devices and healthcare IT companies. The London-based firm expects to do deals ranging from early stage to public companies. It will invest about $15 million to $30 million per portfolio company. Its med tech investments have included surgical wound closure company ZipLine Medical, noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring company Cheetah Medical and AAA stent graft manufacturer Lombard Medical Technologies ($EVAR). More
> Medtronic ($MDT) has disclosed 7-year data that demonstrates superiority for its Prestige LP Cervical Disc as compared to 2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. It's intended to preserve neck motion at the operated disc level, unlike fusion. More
> Fresenius Renal Therapies ($FMS) has launched the CLiC device, which noninvasively measures hematocrit, oxygen saturation and percent change in intravascular blood volume during hemodialysis. More
> Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed an extracorporeal artificial placenta. It's been tested on 5 premature lambs for a week and they were transferred onto it before taking a breath. More