• I-many (Edison, New Jersey) said it will be expanding its contract management software suite to support the medical device market. Built on I-many's services-oriented architecture and leveraging the I-many enterprise contract management framework, the I-many Contract Management Suite for Life Sciences will specifically address issues facing medical device companies within the contract management continuum. I-many said its solution manages hundreds of billions of dollars in corporate contracts, revenue and pricing agreements for pharmaceutical companies that implement the solution. The company said its solution "directly addresses the challenges faced by life sciences companies as they navigate the complex regulatory environment." I-many is a provider of contract management software and services.

• Siemens Healthcare (San Francisco) reported the introduction of its smallest ultrasound solution — the Acuson P10 ultrasound system. The Acuson P10 handheld diagnostic ultrasound system is a little larger than a common PDA, weighs only 1.6 pounds, and fits into a lab coat pocket. It delivers on-demand ultrasound imaging and is intended for complementary initial diagnostic care and triage, particularly in emergency care, cardiology and obstetrics. The Acuson P10 system can be used by physicians and medical personnel in a number of environments including intensive care units, ambulances and medevac helicopters. In emergency situations, it is the point of care exam tool allowing for earlier, faster and more accurate screening and triage decisions. Its emergency applications include FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) to detect free fluid, the determination of cardiac activity and pericardial effusion, as well as detecting abdominal aortic aneurysms and performing pelvic exams. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care — from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care.

• Sonic Innovations (Salt Lake City) reported the launch of two new hearing products, the Velocity miniBTE and the ion 400. The miniBTE is designed for people with mild-to-severe hearing loss and includes 24-channel digital signal-processing, digital noise reduction, fixed and adaptive directionality, auto-switching and a feedback cancellation system. It is available for open-ear and closed-mold applications. The miniBTE also incorporates an automatic feature that eliminates the need for the user to push a button when using the telephone. The Velocity also is equipped with a voice alert system that verbally identifies specific programs. So, instead of alerting the user with a certain number of beeps, there is a verbal alert that actually says, "Telephone." The ion 400 has 24-channel digital signal processing and hands-free automatic features such as adaptive directionality and feedback cancellation. The ion 400 is an open-ear model and is for those with mild-to-moderately severe hearing loss. Sonic Innovations is a hearing aid manufacturer.

• SurgiQuest (Orange, Connecticut) reported the first true single port laparoscopic procedure using the AirSeal access system. The AirSeal system creates an invisible barrier that does not rely on gaskets or seals. This provides unobstructed access to the cavity without loosing intra-abdominal pressure. The AirSeal access system presents a significant technological shift in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). By eliminating seals and gaskets from access ports, the AirSeal system provides unobstructed access to the abdominal cavity without loosing intra-abdominal pressure. This unencumbered approach to MIS is enabling both new procedure development and new instrument platforms. SurgiQuest makes access technology for minimally invasive surgery.

• Synthetic Blood International (Costa Mesa, California) said it intends to file a clinical protocol with the FDA for its planned Phase II-b clinical trial of Oxycyte in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) patients. Oxycyte is the company's perfluorocarbon (PFC) therapeutic oxygen carrier and blood substitute. The decision to file the protocol was made after the FDA accepted without comment the report on the results of the TBI Phase II-a safety study. Synthetic Blood International makes pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the field of oxygen therapeutics and continuous substrate monitoring.