> Ximedica, a Providence, RI-based medical device firm, has followed up expansion plans announced last year and opened new office in Minneapolis, where the company will focus on its Midwest healthcare clients. Story
> SHINE Medical Technologies, a Wisconsin startup, has secured an initial $11 million in VC funding as part of its bid to develop a manufacturing plant that will solve a worldwide shortage of molybdenum-99, an isotope needed for detecting heart disease and staging cancer. SHINE Medical release
> Reva Medical, a maker of medical devices in San Diego, wanted to go public last year to raise money to satisfy impatient venture capitalists and finance research for its heart stents. But it found little investor interest in the U.S., so it did what a small but increasing number of young American companies are doing--it looked abroad for money, in Reva's case the Australian stock exchange. Item
> Covidien has announced that a subsidiary of the company filed an answer and counterclaims against Applied Medical Resources Corporation for patent misuse, non-infringement and invalidity. The action is related to Applied's recent claim against unspecified Versaport Plus trocar products for alleged infringement of a reissue patent, which was issued on May 17, 2011, and will expire February 10, 2013. Covidien release
> ArthroCare has received clearance from the FDA for its Spartan 6.5 needled anchor. The Spartan device is a preloaded threaded anchor indicated for use in fixation of soft tissue to bone, such as during a rotator cuff repair. ArthroCare release
> St. Jude Medical has announced the first human implant of its Portico transcatheter aortic heart valve. The procedure was performed by Dr. John Webb, director of cardiac catheterization and interventional cardiology at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia. St. Jude release
> Roy Malkin, president and CEO of Minntech, was seriously injured when his private single-engine airplane crashed on Saturday evening. While Malkin is recovering, Minntech Executive Vice President Paul Helms will act as "site leader," overseeing the company's day-to-day operations. Minntech division heads will report to Cantel CEO and President Andrew Krakauer. News
And Finally... The SEC has charged a personal injury lawyer in California with insider trading, accusing Dean Goetz of stealing confidential information on Abbott's acquisition of Advanced Medical Optics from his daughter, a lawyer working for AMO at the time. Item