• Card Guard (Rheinfall Switzerland), the parent company of LifeWatch (Rosemont, Illinois), said that it received FDA clearance for its LifeStar ACT III platinum system. The new 3-lead version offers the same full auto-detect and auto-send device functionality and therefore does not require any patient interaction. The LifeStar ACT system can automatically detect and send heart rhythm abnormalities to a LifeWatch monitoring call centre that is staffed 24/7 by specialized cardiac technicians who can immediately interpret the data and initiate any necessary next steps. LifeWatch, through its operating subsidiaries Lifewatch Services, and LifeWatch Technologies, makes ambulatory cardiac monitoring services.

• CoreValve (Irvine, California) has named Daniel Lemaitre CEO. He succeeds Jacques S guin, MD, PhD, co-founder of CoreValve, who will remain as chairman. Previously, Lemaitre has led Medtronic's corporate strategic planning and corporate development functions since 2006. CoreValve makes aortic valve replacement systems.

• Covidien (Boulder, Colorado) said that two new continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices, the Sandman Info and the Sandman Auto, are now available in the U.S. They are the latest additions to the company's Sandman portfolio of sleep diagnostic and therapy devices that feature integrated heated humidification and adaptive pressure stability technology. The Sandman devices include integrated heated humidification which minimizes tubing condensation, thus decreasing air resistance in the tube and preventing water droplets from flowing back into the patient's mask. Sandman CPAPs will automatically remind patients to perform routine service and change disposable parts. Ergonomic and aesthetic enhancements include forward-facing controls and a backlit display. Covidien makes product lines in four segments: medical devices, imaging solutions, pharmaceutical products and medical supplies.

• GlycoMark (New York) reported results from the ongoing DURABLE clinical trial showing that the GlycoMark blood test is a better reflection of glucose, particularly after-meal glucose levels, than the gold standard hemoglobin A1C test in moderately controlled patients with diabetes. In the study, the 1, 5-Anhydroglucitol blood test (GlycoMark) correlated more strongly than hemoglobin A1C with all self-monitored plasma glucose (SMPG) parameters, particularly after-meal glucose levels, in moderately controlled patients with A1C levels less than 8.0%. GlycoMark is an FDA-approved test for monitoring intermediate glycemic control by measuring the levels of a monosaccharide 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5- AG) in blood. GlycoMark is being used in clinical practices nationwide and is available at major reference laboratories.

• The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC; Charleston) is one of the first facilities to install the scanner, adding to the Somatom Definition Dual Source MUSC installed in September 2006.The Adaptive 4-D Spiral mode of the Somatom Definition AS is able to address functional imaging (perfusion images of blood flow over time) of whole organs. This allows Siemens to offer dynamic information of up to 27 cm. In the case of a stroke, physicians can use whole-organ perfusion imaging not only for a small part of the brain, but for all of it. The Somatom Definition AS comes in multiple configurations, each of which is tailored to a hospital's workflow and clinical needs. The technology couples multiple components in a dynamic manner: a large-volume coverage area with a 200-cm scan range and up to 300 msec rotation time, 78-cm gantry bore, and the ability to add a high-capacity 660-pound patient table.

• Neoprobe (Dublin, Ohio) said that a multi-center Phase III study of Lymphoseek has been initiated in patients with either breast cancer or melanoma. The Phase III study will evaluate the efficacy of Lymphoseek to identify lymph nodes that may be predictive of determining whether a patient's cancer has spread into the lymphatic system. Neoprobe makes oncology and cardiovascular surgical and diagnostic products.