• Abbott (Abbott Park, Illinois) said that it has received approval from Health Canada for the Xience V Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent system for the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). The Xience V drug coated stent is used to treat CAD by propping open a narrowed or blocked artery and releasing the drug, everolimus, in a controlled manner over time to help prevent the artery from becoming blocked again following the stent procedure. Xience V is built upon Abbott's market-leading bare metal stent, the Multi-Link Vision Coronary Stent System. The Vision platform is designed to facilitate ease of delivery, making it easier for physicians to maneuver the stent and treat the diseased portion of the artery. The Xience V drug coated stent will be available on both over-the-wire and rapid exchange delivery systems. Rapid exchange is the most widely used type of delivery system because it provides physicians additional flexibility to work as single operators during stent procedures.

• Aperio Technologies (Vista, California) has received FDA approval to market the IHC HER2 breast tissue image analysis application, available through its digital pathology platform. Immunohistochemistry is increasingly being used for the evaluation of therapeutic biomarkers. The IHC HER2 Breast Tissue Tunable Image Analysis application is intended for use as an aid to the pathologist and accessory to the Dako HerceptTest to aid in the detection and semi-quantitative measurement of HER2/new (c-erbB-2) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded normal and neoplastic tissue. It is indicated for use as an aid in the assessment of breast cancer patients for whom Herceptin (Trastuzumab) treatment is being considered. The application can be independently tuned to accommodate a laboratory's unique staining process, providing better performance than out-of-the-box applications that use the same fixed settings across all laboratories.

• ConvaTec (Skillman, New Jersey) reported new data showing that Aquacel Ag, the company's antimicrobial dressing, is safe for use in an MRI environment. Aquacel Ag dressing was developed to provide clinicians and patients with all the gelling benefits of ConvaTec's Hydrofiber Technology plus the benefits of ionic silver. This gelling action enables the dressing to lock in exudate and its harmful components and contour closely to the wound bed. With the addition of ionic silver, Aquacel Ag dressing provides broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity "on demand," responding to increased bacterial load with increased silver ion availability while killing a broad range of pathogens in the dressing, including MRSA and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

• Covidien (Boulder, Colorado) reported the launch of its Leak Compensation software option for the Puritan Bennett 840 ventilator. This new feature will provide a ventilation solution in high-leak environments, particularly in non-invasive ventilation where air leaks associated with the use of masks, nasal prongs, and nasal pillows are common. Compensating for leaks up to 10 liters per minute (Lpm) for neonates, 40Lpm for pediatric patients and 65Lpm for adults, the Leak Compensation software option helps overcome the challenge of maintaining synchrony between the patient's breathing efforts and the ventilator's response. The Leak Compensation software option compensates for leak flows in pressure-based breaths, both during inhalation as well as exhalation. It also adds the necessary additional flow into the breathing circuit to help optimize breath triggering and cycling functions as well as to help maintain the set positive end-expiratory pressure.

• IDEV Technologies (Houston) said that the first patient was enrolled in the company's FDA-approved multi-center clinical trial of its self-expanding Supera stent, a stent platform designed for the treatment of biliary and peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the superficial femoral artery (SFA). The objective of the trial is to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the Supera stent in the treatment of obstructive arterial disease in the superficial femoral artery of the lower extremity. The Supera interwoven self-expanding nitinol stent transhepatic biliary system received 510(k) clearance for palliative treatment of biliary strictures produced by malignant neoplasms and the Supera interwoven self-expanding nitinol stent system received CE mark approval in Europe for biliary and peripheral vascular indications.