Briefs

Medtronic Acquires Aircraft for $110M

Irish devicemaker Medtronic has acquired Aircraft Medical, a developer of video laryngoscopes used by anesthesiologists to intubate patients, through an all-cash transaction valued at $110 million. Medtronic says the deal will expand its portfolio of solutions for dealing with difficult airways and addresses respiratory compromise. Aircraft’s devices enable clinicians to quickly insert the breathing tube into the trachea, allowing them to see the vocal cords. Medtronic will report revenue from Aircraft’s product line as part of its Patient Monitoring & Recovery division within its Minimally Invasive Therapies Group.

SurModics Acquires Creagh for $32M

Eden Prairie, Minn.-based SurModics has acquired percutaneous transluminal angioplasty balloon catheters manufacturer Creagh Medical for about $32 million. SurModics says it made the purchase to help transform its device business from being a provider of coating technologies to offering whole-product solutions to the global interventional vascular market. Many of Creagh’s products have been cleared for commercial sale in Europe, the U.S and Japan.

St. Jude’s Spinal System Approved

The FDA has granted approval to St. Jude Medical’s Proclaim Elite spinal cord stimulation system for people suffering from chronic pain. The system enhances patient convenience, as it does not need to be regularly recharged, the St. Paul, Minn.-based devicemaker says. It also contains a platform that enables patients to access future upgrades, such as new stimulation waveforms. The approval also includes conditional magnetic resonance labeling for the system, allowing patients to undergo head and extremity MRI scans. It further covers St. Jude’s new clinician programmer, which allows for the use of an Apple iPad mini mobile digital device to program spinal cord stimulation therapy.

Biosense Webster Buys Coherex Medical

Johnson & Johnson unit Biosense Webster has acquired Coherex Medical for an undisclosed sum. Coherex manufactures the minimally invasive WaveCrest device, designed to block the most common source of blood clots and prevent strokes in at-risk patients with atrial fibrillation.The device — which has received the CE mark — closes off the left atrial appendage to prevent the release of clots into the bloodstream.

FDA Clears Visunex’s Imaging System

Fremont, Calif.-based Visunex Medical Systems has won FDA clearance for its PanoCam LT wide-field imaging system for newborn infants. A wireless imaging system, PanoCam LT is designed to detect external, anterior and posterior segment vision disorders that may result in negative long-term effects on the vision. Vision disorders may affect between 10 and 20 percent of newborns worldwide, according to the company. Visunex adds that early detection of retinal hemorrhages and other disorders can lead to prompt intervention and potentially prevent vision loss.