• Acusphere (Watertown, Massachusetts) reported that the new drug application for approval to market its lead product candidate, Imagify (perflubutane polymer microspheres for injectable suspension), has been accepted for review by the FDA. Imagify is an ultrasound imaging agent for the detection of coronary artery disease. Imagify is the first ultrasound imaging agent designed to assess blood flow in the heart (myocardial perfusion), a sensitive marker of coronary artery disease. The company believes it is the first ultrasound imaging agent to demonstrate in large clinical trials clinically equivalent accuracy to nuclear stress testing, the current standard for assessing myocardial perfusion. Acusphere is a specialty pharmaceutical company.

• eCardio Diagnostics (The Woodlands, Texas) reported the launch of an extended monitoring device, the eTriggerPLUS, in conjunction with an extended monitoring service (EMS). Extended monitoring devices provide real-time data analysis allowing physicians to capture daily ECG information through pre-defined and programmable intervals. The eTriggerPLUS is the first generation of extended monitoring devices offered by eCardio. The single component device contains features such as the eTimer automatic data capture which expands the flexibility of the eTriggerPLUS for use in various patient therapies or clinical study applications such as: device monitoring, post-ablation follow-up, drug titration, and the documentation of abnormal cardiac function. eCardio Diagnostics makes products for the diagnosis, monitoring and subsequent clinical management of cardiac arrhythmias, predominantly in the ambulatory setting.