• Accumetrics (San Diego) said that it has reached the halfway mark (1,600 patients) in the enrollment of its landmark clinical trial, GRAVITAS. The trial is specifically designed to demonstrate the value of providing clinicians with actionable information for patients who are poor responders to clopidogrel (Plavix). The trial will determine whether tailored antiplatelet therapy for poor responders, identified based on the results of the company's VerifyNow P2Y12 Test, reduces major cardiovascular adverse events (e.g., heart attack, stent thrombosis) following percutaneous coronary intervention.

• Astra Tech (Waltham, Massachusetts) reported the availability of expanded Atlantis abutment options for Straumann dental implants. Following the recent launch of Atlantis abutments in titanium and gold-shaded titanium for Straumann Bone Level 4.1 and 4.8 implants, Atlantis abutments in zirconia are now also available for these Bone Level implants. Astra Tech is also introducing Atlantis abutments for the Straumann Standard Plus NN (Narrow Neck) 3.3 implant in titanium and gold-shaded titanium. Atlantis abutments are designed and fabricated using Atlantis VAD (Virtual Abutment Design) software, a process that combines 3-D optical scanning, advanced software and manufacturing methods to deliver patient-specific abutments that eliminates the need for hand modification.

• BioImagene (Sunnyvale, California) said that the company is advancing its goal of bridging personalized medicine and the clinical practice of pathology by providing Companion Algorithms. These specialized algorithms, which BioImagene develops for use with its Virtuoso suite of web-based software, aid pathologists in the quantitative assessment of specialized diagnostic tests used to determine patient suitability for specific cancer therapies. BioImagene's Companion Algorithms can be used by pathologists to aid in the interpretation of digitized images of cancer diagnostic tests including immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Digitized images can be generated by one of BioImagene's iScan slide scanning systems.

• Home Diagnostics (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) reported the launch of TRUEmanager diabetes management software. The software allows patients to download blood glucose testing results from their meter directly onto a home computer. The system compiles patient demographics into seven reports that show patterns and trends in glucose results.

• Invitrogen (Carlsbad, California) reported the availability of an automated, research-use microarray system designed to simplify immunogenetic testing, including human leukocyte antigen (HLA) research. The Prodigy system is an advanced DNA and protein analysis tool that simplifies and accelerates histocompatibility research, vaccine and drug development, and disease association studies. The company claims that the Prodigy is the first high-throughput, next-generation, sequence-specific oligonucleotide probe system that streamlines sample workflow for hybridizing, detecting and analyzing HLA markers in large-volume variation analysis and genotyping research studies.

• Medicsight (London) has reported the launch of its online product, MedicRead 3.0 Colon. MedicRead 3.0 Colon is Medicsight's visualization platform that includes the company's ColonCAD software. MedicRead 3.0 Colon allows radiologists to read computed tomography scans for the detection of colonic polyps, which may be the precursors of colon cancer.

Data presented on the XPECT clinical trial, sponsored by Medtronic (Minneapolis), shows that the Medtronic Reveal XT Insertable Cardiac Monitor reliably identifies patients with atrial fibrillation (sensitivity of 96.1%) and correctly confirms the absence of AF in patients. Placed just under the skin of the chest area in a short outpatient procedure, the Reveal XT device provides up to three years of continuous heart rhythm monitoring. Reveal XT captures and stores an electrocardiogram (ECG) automatically, according to physician-programmed settings. An additional option to store an ECG is having the patient place a hand-held pager-sized assistant over the device, and pressing a button. Separately, Medtronic said that results of a recent study were favorable toward the use of its Straightshot M4 Microdebrider for powered inferior turbinoplasty. The study states that patients treated with the microdebrider experienced significantly better long-term outcomes than those who received treatment with a Coblation radiofrequency device in what is the first three-year study directly comparing long-term efficacy of the two techniques. Medtronic says this system features a tiny, rotating tip that allows the surgeon to remove tissue more precisely than traditional surgery tools. Using the microdebrider, surgeons can remove enough tissue to correct the nasal obstruction and relieve the patient's symptoms while preserving the mucous lining and normal turbinate function. Preservation of mucosa is considered an important factor in better postoperative outcomes in patients who have undergone nasal surgery.

Phadia (Portage, Michigan) said it has received FDA clearance for eight new EliA ENA autoimmune antibody assays. These new assays will provide physicians the tools needed to further differentiate a positive ANA screen and guide them to a more specific Connective Tissue Disease (CTD) diagnosis. The new assays provide semi-quantitative results for the presence of ENA antibodies to the following antigens: Sm, U1RNP, RNP70, Ro, La, Scl-70, CENP and Jo-1. The presence of these very specific antibodies support or help confirm the diagnosis of specific CTDs. These diseases are complex and often difficult to diagnose. With these new individual ENA assays, clinicians now have a complete array of Phadia tools to aid in the diagnosis and evaluation of a range of CTDs such as lupus, Sjogren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, limited systemic sclerosis, poly-dermatomyositis, and mixed connective tissue disease.

• Polymedco (Cortlandt Manor, New York) reported the introduction of the Pathfast immunoassay analyzer. The Pathfast point-of-care system uses a chemiluminescent technology combined with a unique separation method using magnetic particles that allows this system to report accurate results that compare to large platform instruments. The Pathfast uses individual cartridge-based technology utilizing a whole blood sample. The Pathfast platform includes a computer, LCD touch screen and printer.

• SensiVida Medical Technologies (Henrietta, New York) reported that it has received written clearance from the Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) of Olympia, Washington, to begin clinical trials of its minimally invasive allergy test system. The company claims that its optical-digital "platform" technology addresses a number of multi-billion dollar market opportunities - disease-state diagnostics: allergy testing, pain-free automated glucose monitors without bio-fouling, blood coagulation testing, TB testing, and cholesterol monitoring.

• SeraCare Life Sciences (Milford, Massachusetts) has launched a new product in its diagnostic controls and panels portfolio the SeraCare Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Genotype Performance Panel. This panel is designed to enable testing laboratories, researchers and diagnostic manufacturers to validate their entire HPV testing system, ensuring that testing systems can differentiate between high- and low-risk HPV genotypes.

• SonoSite (Bothell, Washington) reported the launch of the SonoAccess application, a medical iPhone application that provides a multimedia library of ultrasound resource materials for medical professionals. The SonoAccess application is an iPhone or iPod touch interactive mobile learning application that addresses the continuing educational needs of point-of-care ultrasound users. SonoSite partnered with leading physicians to gather and create clinical education materials for emergency medicine, critical care and anesthesia with other specialties to be added soon. Users can access instructional videos, case studies and reimbursement guides, as well as reference nearly 100 clinical images and news feeds on SonoSite.