Acacia Research Corp. (Newport Beach, California) reported that its Thermal Scalpel subsidiary has entered into a license agreement with C.R. Bard (Murray Hill, New Jersey) covering patents relating to surgical devices. The agreement resolves litigation that was pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas with respect to certain C.R. Bard products. The technology generally relates to surgical devices and methods involving cutting or ablation of tissue in a manner that promotes hemostasis.

• Expanding its capabilities to deliver complete medical imaging and healthcare solutions, Canon U.S.A. (Lake Success, New York) said that the company has acquired Virtual Imaging (Deerfield Beach, Florida), a provider of diagnostic imaging solutions and a medical systems integrator. With more than 100 employees, including a national sales and service organization, Virtual Imaging serves large complex hospital organizations, imaging centers and private physician offices, and is the national distributor of Canon's digital radiography systems.

CardioNet (Conshohocken, Pennsylvania) reported its entry into the cardiac clinical research services business and the acquisition of Biotel (Eagan, Minnesota). The two companies entered into a binding definitive merger agreement for CardioNet to acquire Biotel for $4.82 per share in cash, for a total transaction value of about $14 million. The acquisition of Biotel expands CardioNet's product portfolio with a recently approved wireless event monitor, enhancing CardioNet's leadership position in the rapidly emerging field of wireless medicine, the company said. As part of the acquisition, CardioNet is acquiring Biotel's wholly-owned subsidiary, Agility Centralized Research Services (Chicago). Agility provides event, Holter and 12 lead ECG monitoring services to the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, as well as to contract research and academic research organizations worldwide.

Clinical Data (Newton, Massachusetts) and Beckman Coulter (Fullerton, California) reported that the companies have signed a definitive agreement for Beckman Coulter to acquire Clinical Data's Cogenics division for about $17 million. The sale will complete a key element of Clinical Data's strategic initiative to monetize non-core assets and focus resources on advancing the company's two late-stage targeted therapeutic programs. The acquisition of Cogenics complements Beckman Coulter's Agencourt Biosciences' business, which delivers genomic services and nucleic acid purification products, and expands its reach into new territories.