Tough market for venture-backed Dx outfits; Medtronic launches spinal tech;

@FierceMedDev: Touch-sensitive robot arm envisioned, in part, as patient care device. Item | Follow @FierceMedDev

@MarkHFierce:  We had a fruitful week at BIO 2013 in Chicago. Check out the highlights. Slideshow | Follow @MarkHFierce

 @DamianFierce: In case you missed it over the weekend, Quintiles finally priced its IPO, seeking $790M. News | Follow @DamianFierce

> A prominent venture capital investor sees a challenging future for venture-backed diagnostic companies, due, in part, to their high need for capital and sky-high regulatory uncertainty. Column

> Nasoform, a Menlo Park, CA-based device startup, raised $6 million in new venture funding toward development of a minimally invasive device designed to treat collapsed nasal valves. Story

> Spanish researchers developed a biodegradable coating designed to boost the success rate for dental implants in patients who would otherwise not be able to tolerate the surgery. Item

> Israel plans a major push on April 30 in Taiwan to promote its medical device industry and drum up interest for an exposition on medical innovation planned for June. Item

> Teleflex ($TFX) won 510(k) clearance for a next-generation vascular positioning system. Release

> Medtronic ($MDT) has launched new additions to its Vertex Select reconstruction system, used to treat spinal problems like stenosis, fracture and dislocation. More

> Becton Dickinson's ($BDX) diagnostics unit has partnered with Bruker Daltonics to market the pair's microbial identification technology. News

Biotech News

@FierceBiotech: ICYMI: Johnson & Johnson, Evotec bask in Harvard's breaking diabetes discovery. Story | Follow @FierceBiotech

@JohnCFierce: Union wants AstraZeneca to rethink the big Cambridge move, but I don't see it. A reversal would look like schizophrenia. Article | Follow @JohnCFierce

@RyanMFierce: Shunned Gilead/Bristol-Myers hep C combo may be too good for docs to ignore. Story | Follow @RyanMFierce

> U.K. union makes its case against AstraZeneca's R&D relocation. Item

> Giants team on diabetes as Merck partners with Pfizer on SGLT2 combo. News

> Celgene taps biotech Forma for drugs in hot field of protein homeostasis. Article

> Guidelines for contributing an Industry Voices column to Fierce. Publisher's note

Pharma News

@FiercePharma: ICYMI yesterday: Shunned Gilead/Bristol-Myers hep C combo may be too good for docs to ignore. More | Follow @FiercePharma

> On verge of $13B merger, Valeant and Actavis stop talking. Report

> FDA, Allergan warn of foreign Botox in counterfeit packaging sold to U.S. docs. Article

> Hooters or Nobu, Novartis doc-dinners are kickbacks, feds say. Story

> Jury hits Takeda with $6.5M judgment in first Actos liability case. Article

CRO News

> AMRI inks 5-year CDMO deal with Ono. Story

> Biocon's CRO now largest in India. Article

> Catalent quadruples biologics capacity with new plant. More

> Icon's revenue soars 26% in Q1. Report

Biotech IT News

> AZ helps NHS develop social media app for U.K. market. More

> Medidata's profit up 51% in Q1 compared to last year as customer base grows. Report

> 'Jeff Bezos of bioinformatics' finds capital and customers for startup. Story

> Treato scores $14.5M VC round, tackles social media analytics for pharma. Article

> Mining clinical notes could detect harmful drug reactions earlier. News