• Access Scientific (San Diego) said it has received FDA clearance for its MicroAccess WAND, which it says is the world's first all-in-one safety introducer. This device helps clinicians to more quickly and safely insert a sheath or catheter into the peripheral vasculature. The MicroAccess WAND is expected to be used primarily in interventional radiology suites and cardiac catheterization labs. "The MicroAccess WAND is the first device to enable clinicians to perform the Accelerated Seldinger Technique, which we believe is the ultimate refinement in vascular access technology," said CEO Steve Bierman, MD.

• Beaker (Phoenix) reported the release of a new recruiting platform. For employers, Beaker highlights their organizations to a pool of qualified, active jobseekers and passive candidates, through multimedia employment branding and online recruitment services. Beaker's new recruiting platform merges the traditional online job board with a multimedia career management and social networking platform, tailored specifically for the life sciences industry," said CEO Jeffrey Clark. For life sciences organizations, Beaker serves as a hub for the industry, where organizations can manage their recruiting more effectively and efficiently reach the best talent in the market.

• Manhattan Scientifics (Los Alamos, New Mexico) said it has received FDA clearance to market its super-strong titanium metal dental implants. The new form of titanium metal, originally developed by Russian scientists in concert with scientists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, is expected to significantly improve dental implants. Studies have shown that bone integrates with these new metals up to 20 times faster than with conventional metals. The company said patients should experience shorter post-surgery healing times and a more reliable integration of these new implants into their body.

• Mobile Aspects (Pittsburgh) said its endoscope management solution, iRIScope, has received certification from the Federal Communications Commission and is commercially available for acquisition and implementation by healthcare providers. The technology is designed to improve the security, use and reprocessing of endoscope equipment for procedural areas such as gastrointestinal endoscopy. The RFID-enabled cabinet storage units secure and manage access to the instruments while tracking utilization, repair, and compliance with disinfection protocols.

• Quidel (San Diego) presented data from a correlation study for its QuickVue iFOB (immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood) test for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The results demonstrated a high correlation between Quidel's POC immunochemistry test and a quantitative laboratory test for fecal occult blood. The iFOB test is a rapid immunochemical diagnostic tool intended for the detection of blood in stool specimens. Blood in the stool is an indication of a number of gastrointestinal disorders, including colorectal cancer. The iFOB test provides results in five to 10 minutes and requires only one specimen. It is specific to human hemoglobin, and patients are not required to adhere to strict dietary or medication restrictions prior to testing.

• SurgiQuest (Orange, Connecticut) reported that the world's first 12 mm AirSeal single-incision laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed at Mt. Auburn Hospital (Cambridge, Massachusetts). The AirSeal creates an invisible pressure barrier that is self-contained within the cannula and does not rely on traditional gaskets or valves. The AirSeal eliminates mechanical gaskets and valves from access ports and provides unobstructed access to the abdominal cavity without losing intra-abdominal gas pressure.