A Medical Device Daily

Neoprobe (Dublin, Ohio), a developer of oncology and cardiovascular surgical and diagnostic products, said it has extended its marketing and distribution agreement with Ethicon Endo-Surgery (Cincinnati). The amendment extends the rights for Ethicon Endo-Surgery to promote and sell the neo2000 gamma detection systems for assisting in cancer diagnosis through the end of 2013.

"Our arrangement with Ethicon Endo-Surgery has been integral in positioning Neoprobe as the market leader in the handheld gamma detection market," said David Bupp, Neoprobe's president/CEO. "We are excited about continuing to bring innovation to the lymphatic mapping market through partnering with the leading provider of surgical devices."

Neoprobe's gamma detection systems are currently used in lymphatic mapping for determining various stages of cancer. The system utilizes a radioactive tracing agent, which is injected directly into the tumor site. The agent then follows the same flow along the lymphatic system that a tumor would follow if it metastasized or spread. The operative surgeon can then track this flow with a special probe identifying key lymph nodes along the path to be tested for the presence of cancer.

In other agreements:

  • The American College of Cardiology (ACC, Washington, DC) and Gullapalli and Associates (G&A, Jersey City, New Jersey), a consulting firm developing educational strategies for healthcare providers, reported a collaboration to address educational gaps and barriers faced by clinicians in providing cardiovascular care through the development of certified CME initiatives. One initiative will be a multi-year, multi-modality program seeking to address disparities in healthcare delivery and treatment among patients of multi-ethnic origin with hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Another initiative will address knowledge gaps and lack of guideline adherence among clinicians managing acute coronary syndromes. Cardiovascular disease-related deaths have declined over the past 25 years, but they account for more than 650,000 deaths annually, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta). The ACC says: "Evidence shows that as the patient population grows and becomes more diverse, lack of such cultural competence among providers will lead to an increasing gap in racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare." "It is critical that healthcare professionals are provided the education and resources necessary to address the unique needs of the multicultural patient," said Joseph Green, PhD, chief learning officer of the ACC. Despite evidence-based guidelines and performance measures for ACS, a major contributor to cardiovascular disease related deaths, data indicate under-utilization of heart medications in ACS.
  • Washington Hospital (Washington, Pennsylvania.) has selected Amerinet (St. Louis) as its primary group purchasing organization. The new agreement provides unlimited access to Amerinet's product and service contracts and Total Spend Management tools designed to ensure healthcare providers optimize their financial resources. The multi-year agreement will also focus on the implementation of cost reduction initiatives through contract evaluation and utilization.
  • Premier Purchasing Partners (Charlotte, North Carolina) reported new agreements for implantable infusion ports have been awarded to Boston Scientific (Natick, Massachusetts), C.R. Bard (Murray Hill, New Jersey), and Smiths Medical (St. Paul, Minnesota). The 36-month agreements, effective Nov. 1, 2007, are available to acute care and continuum-of-care members of the Premier alliance.