A Medical Device Daily

Neuromonics (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) reported that it has been designated to receive $1 million in funding through the Department of Defense to study the treatment of tinnitus among military service members.

The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment is a clinically proven treatment, offering long-term relief by comprehensively targeting the neurological root causes of tinnitus.

Tinnitus, most commonly characterized by ringing in the ears, is one of the top medical complaints for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, primarily due to excessive noise exposure during combat.

The American Tinnitus Association (Portland, Oregon) reports that tinnitus and hearing loss top the list of war-related healthcare costs and that the problem is worsening. At the current rate, veterans with tinnitus-related disabilities will more than double from 390,933 in 2006 to 818,811 in 2011, at a cost to American taxpayers of more than $1.1 billion.

The tinnitus study will evaluate the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment and counseling for active-duty military service members. Trial sites are expected to include large troop-based military installations. Further study is expected to include technological changes to the tinnitus treatment device, as well as evaluating treatment for specific sub-groups of service members, such as those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment is currently in use in 30 Veterans Affairs and six Department of Defense medical centers throughout the country. It is a compact, non-invasive device that delivers a prescribed acoustic neural stimulus, customized for each patient's individual audiological profile, and incorporates specially processed, relaxing music.

After clinical customization, the patient listens to the device daily for six-plus months. The stimulus is designed to provide relief and relaxation in the initial phase of treatment, and then progressively over a period of several months, to facilitate desensitization to the tinnitus.

The therapy helps the brain filter out the tinnitus perception, so that it no longer intrudes on the patient's conscious attention, and no longer has a disturbing impact on quality of life. By targeting the condition's underlying neurological basis, Neuromonics may offer "enhanced effectiveness for patients compared to alternatives," according to the company.

In other agreementscontracts news:

• Cardium Therapeutics (San Diego) said that its operating unit, InnerCool Therapies, was awarded a new supplier contract with Novation (Irving, Texas) to introduce InnerCool's RapidBlue endovascular patient temperature modulation system into Novation's network of member healthcare systems, which includes thousands of hospitals throughout the U.S.

The agreement, effective Jan. 1, has a three-year initial term and includes an option to extend for two additional years. The RapidBlue System is a thermal regulating system designed to manage and control patient body temperature. It automatically cools or warms patients, as necessary, to quickly and controllably achieve and then maintain a desired body temperature.

• RTI Biologics (Alachua, Florida) reported that it has signed an agreement to provide biologic implants to ENTrigue Surgical (San Antonio). Under the agreement, which is effective immediately, RTI Biologics will process soft-tissue allograft and xenograft implants to help patients in ENT applications for distribution by ENTrigue.

In the longer term, the two companies will co-develop novel biologic solutions for ENTrigue's surgeons and patients.

• Cerus (Concord, California) said that it has signed an agreement to extend its manufacturing deal with Fenwal (Lake Zurich, Illinois) for Intercept Blood System products. Under the new agreement, Fenwal will supply Cerus with finished disposable kits for the Intercept platelet and plasma systems through the end of 2013.

Claes Glassell, president/CEO of Cerus, said, "The new agreement is expected to assure our long-term supply of finished Intercept platelet and plasma kits while reducing our unit costs. Together with other initiatives, we believe we are making good progress toward meeting our objective of extending our cash resources through the end of 2009."

• Manatee Healthcare System (Bradenton, Florida) has selected the IT and medical-technology company Sectra (Stockholm, Sweden) as its PACS provider. Throughout a five year agreement, Sectra will supply PACS products and direct service and support to the Manatee Healthcare System.

"[We have] an enterprise PACS between three facilities," said Amy Thien, radiology PACS administrator for the Manatee system. "We demand high availability, integration with our other software vendors, and an efficient workflow for all radiology examinations to help facilitate the utmost quality in patient care."