• The FDA has issued 510(k) clearance for Activaero's (Gemünden, Germany) Watchhaler spacer, an inhalation system for children with asthma. The Watchhaler is a reservoir system, or "spacer," that controls the inhalation flow rate and volume to deliver aerosol to the lungs. It is used with standard metered-dose inhalers and is meant to provide a child-friendly method of delivering treatment. The product was launched in April 2007 in Europe.

• MIV Therapeutics (Atlanta) said that its Protea ultra-thin cobalt-alloy bare-metal stent has excelled in animal studies. The Protea is the company's next-generation bare-metal stent, with a strut thickness of 65 microns, a fixed geometry and uniform cell size for homogeneous delivery of drug to the local tissue, and a superior surface finish when compared to currently available cobalt alloy stents. According to the company, animal results showed that the Protea is "statistically superior to one of the best and most deliverable cobalt-alloy bare-metal stents on the market today." MIV Therapeutics makes coatings and drug-delivery systems for cardiovascular stents and other implantable devices.

• NewCardio (Santa Clara, California) reported the results of its second external validation study of QTinno (the NCE2 study), led by a cardiac safety expert with experience in pharmaceutical clinical trials. The NCE2 study evaluated the accuracy speed of QTinno in producing automated measurements of drug-induced QT prolongation, a key cardiac safety indicator. QTinno is a software suite that provides automated analysis of QT intervals and other ECG-based cardiac safety for drug makers and drug regulators. NewCardio develops technology to provide higher accuracy for the standard 12-lead ECG.

• PatientKeeper (Boston) said that its Meditech customer base has grown to more than 200 hospitals, representing a significant portion of the hospitals running Meditech in the U.S. The Physician Information System gives physicians a modern browser-based view of patient data on tablets, laptops and PCs, and offers a mobile companion that runs on most major Smartphones and PDAs. PatientKeeper's technology connects disparate systems that physicians typically access throughout their workday into a single physician portal. The PatientKeeper Portal enables providers to review clinical data from multiple sources —including lab and test results, EKG, PACS, fetal monitoring, ambulatory EMRs and medication histories; hand off patients to other physicians at the end of a shift; and electronically sign medical record documentation. PatientKeeper makes integrated physician information systems.

• Pinnacle Data Systems (Columbus, Ohio) reported general availability of its newest compact computing board, the COMX-S1 COM express module. This powerful embedded computer-on-module (COM) features mobile AMD technologies, including single- and dual-core AMD Sempron processors and AMD Turion processors and the AMD M690 chipset. Designed to the modern industry-standard known as COM express, the PDSi COMX-S1 module enables OEMs to bring to market their embedded solutions, including providing custom I/O requirements, without the difficulty of developing the complex core circuitry of the computer. Pinnacle Data Systems makes computer design, production, and repair services to original equipment manufacturers who build computers into their products in industries including medical equipment, telecommunications, defense and imaging.

• Seal Shield (Jacksonville, Florida) has begun shipping a new family of fully submersible, 108-key, International keyboards with Silver Seal antimicrobial protection to help reduce the risk of worldwide cross-contaminations, including Norovirus and MRSA. According to the company, the Silver Seal international keyboard is the world's first 108-key, multi-language keyboard to be dishwasher-safe and embedded with Silver Seal antimicrobial protection. The Silver Seal antimicrobial devices use all natural, pure silver ions which are embedded in the plastic to create a safe and effective, inorganic, antimicrobial solution. Seal Shield makes medical-grade, washable computer keyboards and mice for the International healthcare industry and consumer electronics markets.