• Cardica (Redwood City, California) said that two independent groups of cardiothoracic surgeons performed ground-breaking minimally-invasive, closed-chest bypass procedures using Cardica’s C-Port Flex A Anastomosis system and Intuitive Surgical’s (Sunnyvale, California) da Vinci robot. The C-Port Flex A system, an automated flexible shaft device, automates the attachment, or anastomosis, of a blood vessel graft to a coronary artery during bypass surgery. During minimally invasive, closed-chest bypass procedures the surgeon guides the da Vinci Surgical System to perform precise movements through fingertip-size incisions in the chest area, similar to the procedures for minimally invasive abdominal surgery. To ensure the highest level of safety for the patient, the cardiothoracic surgeon creates an additional safety port insertion for extreme instances in which the surgeon needs direct and sudden access to the heart. The Flex A eliminates a bottleneck to the broad adoption of minimally invasive bypass procedures as it replaces hand-sewn sutures with an automated connection of the vessel graft to the coronary artery, which can be performed consistently, quickly and reliably. This connection, called an anastomosis, is often considered the most critical step during bypass surgery. Cardica makes automated anastomosis systems for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

• GenoLogics (Victoria, British Columbia) said it has joined the Affymetrix GeneChip-compatible applications program, and its geneus product has achieved GeneChip-compatible status with the Affymetrix GeneChip microarray platform. GenoLogics has integrated its Geneus solution, built for multiple genomics applications, with the Affymetrix GeneChip platforms, GeneChip Operating Software (GCOS) and the new GeneChip Command Console Software. Geneus, a LIMS and scientific data management system (SDMS) purposed for multiple genomics application areas, is built on an adaptable and configurable platform. The Geneus software allows for smooth data flow from one system to another and acts as the informatics backbone for one or multiple labs. GenoLogics makes data management software solutions for life sciences research.

• A study in the August 2007 issue of Pediatric Diabetes supports the use of the GlycoMark (Kannapolis, North Carolina) 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) blood test to evaluate therapy in children with diabetes, especially to target postprandial hyperglycemia (elevated after-meal glucose levels). Controlling after-meal glucose levels is important in achieving optimal glycemic control and reducing the burden of cardiovascular complications, the leading cause of death in patients. 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. Multiple published studies in peer-reviewed journals have shown that the 1,5-AG test is a specific index of postprandial hyperglycemia (elevated after-meal glucose levels) and short-term glycemic control — providing a useful complement to A1C testing.

• NovoSci (The Woodlands, Texas) said that it has received FDA clearance to market its new D-Line brand of dual lumen, short-term hemodialysis catheters. They are first in a series of new product acquisitions for the company and part of its strategy to expand its offering of single-use, disposable medical products. The D-Line hemodialysis catheters are used to access the patient’s vein and to route the blood to the machine. The D-Line catheters are made from polyurethane that resists kinks, making them easier for the clinician to use. NovoSci makes single-use disposable medical products.