A Diagnostics & Imaging Week

Royal Philips Electronics (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) reported reaching an agreement to acquire Alpha X-Ray Technologies (Mumbai, India), a manufacturer of cardiovascular X-ray systems targeting the economy segment of the Indian market.

Upon closing of this transaction in 4Q08, which is subject to certain contractual and other conditions such as regulatory approvals, Alpha will become part of the Cardiovascular X-ray business within Philips' Healthcare.

Financial details of this agreement were not disclosed.

"The acquisition of Alpha is another great example of how Philips continues to strengthen its industrial and commercial footprint in emerging markets," said Ronald de Jong, CEO of emerging markets for Philips Healthcare. "It provides us with significant presence in the high-growth economy segment for cardiovascular X-ray systems, underlining our commitment to deliver affordable healthcare solutions in emerging markets."

Philips said that Alpha's product portfolio complements its existing high-end cardiovascular X-ray range and helps Philips to capture an even larger slice of the global EUR 1.8 billion cardiovascular X-ray market.

"The addition of Alpha represents another significant addition to our emerging markets healthcare product portfolio, and comes on the heels of two key product introductions in India: the SureSigns VM3 patient monitor and the cost-effective Ultrasound HD15 system," said Murali Sivaraman, CEO of Philips Electronics India.

Novel aortic aneurysm repair in UK is reported by Hansen

Hansen Medical (Mountain View, California), a developer of flexible robotics and robotic technology for accurate 3-D control of catheter movement, reported that a team of physicians led by Professor Nick Cheshire at St. Mary's Hospital (London), part of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London, used its Sensei robotic catheter system and Artisan control catheter to aid deployment of stent grafts used to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm in a 78-year old patient.

The company said it believes this is the world's first procedure in which any robotic medical technology has been used to repair an aortic aneurysm through a patient's vascular system.
"We have always believed vascular surgery would provide a very natural application for our Sensei and Artisan robotic technology, and the recent advancement at St. Mary's Hospital demonstrates what is already within reach for our technology in this field," said Fred Moll, MD, co-founder and CEO of Hansen. "Just as important, the recent experience of clinicians at St. Mary's Hospital clearly demonstrates what physicians can accomplish when they use Hansen Medical's advanced technology to provide more precise movement and control during different types of surgery."

"The time taken to correctly position a stent graft during the treatment of an aneurysm is highly variable and depends on the complexity of the vascular anatomy," explained Professor Nick Cheshire. "By providing increased catheter stability and accurate navigation, the Sensei system has the potential to greatly simplify the procedure and make it more predictable. In this case, it only took a few minutes to drive the Artisan catheter to the location where the stent was to be deployed."

An abdominal aortic aneurysm results from weakening and swelling of the artery's walls, often as people age, and is frequently fatal if it ruptures. When positioned across the weakened section, stent grafts act as scaffolding that can help prevent the aneurysm from bursting. This surgery was performed through accessing the patient's vascular system at the groin and using Hansen Medical's Sensei system to accurately navigate the Artisan catheter up into the weakened section of the aorta, where the stent grafts were placed.

Laser maker creates European distributor

Ellex Medical Lasers (Adelaide, Australia) reported another step in expanding its global reach with the establishment of a direct sales channel in Germany, Ellex Deutschland.

Formally launched at this week's European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (ESCRS) meeting in Berlin, Ellex Deutschland will focus initially on sales of Ellex laser products.

Ellex's distribution partner for the Eye Cubed ultrasound product in Germany, M+C GmbH, will provide administration and logistical support for the new operations, which the Australian company said would allow it to establish a strong market position with minimal investment and reduced risk.

M+C has been active in the ophthalmic market for 20 years and has distributed Ellex's Eye Cubed since 1990. Ellex said the partnership between the companies will enable them to leverage common marketing channels and contacts. Plans include joint exhibits at German trade shows, promotional campaigns and educational workshops.

Ellex noted that with more than 8,000 ophthalmologists, Germany is one of the largest ophthalmic markets in the world. "The German market has significant potential and we look forward to working directly with ophthalmic surgeons throughout the region to demonstrate the quality of our products and our commitment to service," said Ellex CEO Kevin McGuinness.

The first sales from the German operation are expected this month.

Ellex Medical Lasers manufactures a complete line of lasers and diagnostic ultrasound systems used by ophthalmologists.