A Medical Device Daily
Cancer diagnostics company Biomoda (Albuquerque, New Mexico) and Obio, a corporation formed to pursue public and private funding for cancer research in Ohio, are working together to expand Biomoda's lung cancer screening program for veterans into Ohio.
“A strategic alliance with Obio gives Biomoda a presence in a state that is recognized as a leader in cancer research and treatment. Ohio's leaders have established programs and funding to attract promising biomedical technologies to the state through innovative public initiatives that support both research and commercialization,“ said John Cousins, president of Biomoda.
Biomoda currently is conducting clinical trials of its CyPath lung cancer diagnostic assay, an inexpensive, noninvasive test designed to identify early-stage lung cancer by binding to cancer cells and causing them to fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Phase II trials have focused on military veterans who are at least 25% more likely to develop lung cancer and die from the disease.
Cousins said that Obio will help Biomoda launch a veterans screening program in Ohio, similar to ones completed in New Mexico and under consideration by the Nebraska Legislature. “We are also identifying sites for the upcoming phase III trials, and Ohio is home to several world-class comprehensive cancer centers.“
Biomoda is seeking FDA approval of its screening technology as a Class III medical device. CyPath is currently for investigational use only.
In other agreements and contracts news:
•InSight Health Services Holdings (Lake Forest, California) has commenced operations in partnership with American Radiology Associates (ARA; Dallas). Insight Imaging will manage the partnership, which has acquired ARA's Willowbend Diagnostic Imaging Center. ARA has also agreed to provide professional services in the coming months at Insight Diagnostic Center.
ARA's 54 sub-specialized radiologists practice in five hospital settings, including Baylor University Medical Center, and a number of freestanding diagnostic imaging centers in the Dallas area.
•ACIST Medical Systems (Eden Prairie, Minnesota) reported that HealthTrust Purchasing Group (Brentwood, Tennessee) has awarded the company a three-year contract, effective Dec. 1, 2009, for ACIST cardiovascular injection technology, the ACIST|CVi Contrast Delivery System, a contrast injector that, in one device, provides a method of contrast injection for all cardiac and vascular angiography procedures. It enables the cardiologist to achieve greater focus on the image and the patient, instead of on stopcocks, syringes, tubing and other equipment.
•Bioness (Valencia, California), a neuromodulation company, reported two agreements to distribute new devices for patients experiencing neurological impairment. Through the agreements with Performance Enterprises (Markham, Ontario) and Aretech (Ashburn, Virginia), Bioness is now distributing the Dynavision D2 Visuomotor Training System and the ZeroG Overground Gait and Balance Training System to rehabilitation centers and hospitals.
Tom Fogarty, president/CEO of Bioness, said, “With these agreements, we hope to build upon the success we have had with our NESS functional electrical stimulation devices, offer our customers more options to help in the rehabilitation of those suffering from neurological deficits, and ultimately provide functional independence for more patients.“