A Medical Device Daily

Toshiba Medical Systems (Tokyo) reported that via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Toshiba Medical Visualization Systems Europe (TMVS), has completed its previously disclosed acquisition of the Advanced Visualization Imaging System Division (AVIS) of Barco (Kortrijk, Belgium) (Medical Device Daily, Nov. 24, 2008).

This acquisition brings in-house the development of 3-D volume rendering and advanced visualization capabilities for all Toshiba modalities, the company said.

"TMVS now serves as the foundation of a world-class medical research and development center in Europe," said Kenichi Komatsu PhD, president/CEO of Toshiba Medical, "demonstrating Toshiba's strong commitment to our European customers as well as the healthcare industry worldwide."

The AVIS team has been conducting research, development and sales of medical 3-D visualization software products since 1991 as Voxar Ltd. For the past 10 years, Toshiba has used Voxar 3-D visualization core software in its medical imaging products and PACS. AVIS, as part of Barco, provided advanced visualization solutions for the medical imaging and PACS markets.

TMVS is led by Toshiaki Nakazato, president, and Callum Cunningham, senior vice president/general manager.

In other dealmaking news:

• Small Bone Innovations (SBi; New York), a single-source provider of innovation, products, technology and education for the small bone & joint sector of the orthopedics industry, reported that it has completed the previously disclosed acquisition of Link Orthopaedics (Rockaway, New Jersey), plus the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (S.T.A.R.) system and certain assets related to the S.T.A.R. Ankle from Link's sister firm, Waldemar Link (Hamburg, Germany) (MDD, Jan. 30, 2009).

The value of the transaction has not been disclosed.

Waldemar Link will continue to manufacture the S.T.A.R. Ankle at its manufacturing facility in Hamburg.

"The S.T.A.R. Ankle has been used clinically since 1990, with over 14,500 implantations performed worldwide. We are very excited to have the opportunity to introduce this product in the U.S., after FDA PMA approval, based on widespread interest among U.S. surgeons in a three-part, mobile bearing, non-constrained, uncemented total ankle replacement system," said Anthony Viscogliosi, chairman/CEO of SBi.

• Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reported the acquisition by its American Medical Response (AMR; both Greenwood Village, Colorado) subsidiary of the air ambulance business of Skyservice Business Aviation (Montreal), a fixed-wing air ambulance operator with operations in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

The purchase agreement was entered into on Jan. 30, and the transaction is expected to close in 60 to 120 days, subject to customary closing conditions and Canadian regulatory approval.

The company said it expects the acquisition will contribute about $20 million in new annual net revenue. At closing, Skyservice Business Aviation also will enter into an exclusive long-term relationship with AMR with respect to air ambulance operations.

EMS is a provider of emergency medical services in the U.S.

• Acacia Research (Newport Beach, California) reported that its Hospital Systems Corp. subsidiary has entered into a license agreement with Viztek (Jacksonville, Florida) covering a portfolio of patents that apply to medical PACS technology. This agreement resolves the parties' dispute that was pending in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.