• Aperio Technologies (Vista, California) reported that it has received FDA clearance to market the ER and PR image analysis applications available through its ScanScope slide-scanning system. The immunohistochemistry image analysis applications are intended to be used as an aid to pathologists in detecting and quantifying ER (estrogen receptor) and PR (progesterone receptor) protein expressions from digital slide images created by the company's slide-scanning systems. Aperio's FDA clearance encompasses the company's complete digital pathology system, including ScanScope scanners for creating digital slide images from microscope slides, the Spectrum digital pathology information management system for managing, viewing, and analyzing digital slides, and the specific image analysis applications which perform the automated scoring of ER and PR breast cancer digital slides. Aperio specializes in digital pathology.

• The Beaumont Commercialization Center (Royal Oak, Michigan) said that it is developing an innovative ophthalmic lens support system available for licensing. The lens support system to stabilize the lens before or during cataract surgery, thereby preventing the movement of lens fragments into the back of the eye. The lens support system consists of a cannula and a piston. By means of the piston, the lens support is movable to contracted and expanded configurations. Part of Beaumont Hospitals, the Beaumont Commercialization Center is a hospital-based medical device development resource focused on helping manufacturers and inventors bring their ideas for new medical devices and technology to reality.

• Cambridge Research & Instrumentation (Woburn, Massachusetts) reported the release of the Maestro EX in vivo imaging system. The system uses Cri's FLEX technology for in vivo fluorescence imaging. The company said Maestro software tools complement the improved optical capabilities of the Maestro EX by ensuring accurate and automated characterization of fluorescent signals in spectrally complex samples. Dynamic contrast enhancement (DyCE) is available as an accessory. DyCE is an all-optical anatomic imaging solution for mice that also helps eliminate signals from non-specific binding in much less time than conventional means — by as much as 90% less time. Cambridge Research & Instrumentation specializes in optical imaging.

• Cook Medical (Bloomington, Indiana) reported a milestone for its Evolution mechanical dilator sheath technology, a new tool designed to remove faulty, ineffective leads in patients with cardiac pacemakers. To date, 200 medical centers in the U.S. have adopted the technology, which uses venous entry during lead extraction procedures. Cook said the Evolution system "has quickly proven to be an attractive alternative to current laser- and other-powered techniques, as it is less invasive, more intuitive to use and approximately one-half the cost of laser-powered sheaths." The Evolution device is intended for use in patients requiring the percutaneous dilation of tissue surrounding cardiac leads, indwelling catheters and foreign objects and, according to the company, minimizes the risk of vascular perforations seen with laser-powered sheaths utilizing a forward depth of cut. Cook Medical makes minimally invasive medical products.