• Atrium Medical (Hudson, New Hampshire) reported the availability of its di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) free thoracic catheters. In keeping with the FDA recommendation that medical device manufacturers reformulate products to remove DEHP, and further suggest that all hospitals use alternatives to DEHP containing products. The company said DEHP-free catheters are its latest advance in a series of medical device innovations, built upon a strong 26 year heritage of excellence in advanced biomaterial science, all engineered specifically for improvements in patient outcomes following thoracic drainage intervention. Atrium makes chest drainage products, and chest tube insertion kits.

• Clinical Solutions (Basingstoke, England) reported the launch of new software for early detection and effective management of a pandemic outbreak. Bio Surveillance provides a series of algorithms which enables early detection, containment, real-time reporting and analysis of an outbreak. With its web-based platform, the system can be operated and updated in real time, by multiple users, at disparate locations. The software aims to steer healthcare professionals successfully through the complex healthcare delivery process, ensuring that patients are referred to the most appropriate level of care. The system was successfully trialed during Exercise Cumpston, Australia’s largest ever health simulation exercise and one of the largest pandemic influenza exercises held globally. The application allows the clinician to quickly determine the potential presence of an infectious disease and direct the patient to take the most appropriate action. Clinical Solutions makes decision support and clinical software solutions to the healthcare industry that help healthcare professionals safely and consistently assess a patient’s symptoms and direct them to the most appropriate level of care.

• Critical Diagnostics (New York) reported that a pivotal research paper has been published in the Journal of the College of Cardiology titled, “Measurement of the Interleukin Family Member ST2 in Patients with Acute Dyspnea: Results from the ProBNP Investigation of Dyspnea in the Emergency Department (PRIDE) Study.” The results of the study demonstrate the strength of ST2 as a biomarker for risk stratification and prediction of mortality in patients who present to the emergency department with shortness of breath and suspected acute decompensated heart failure. ST2 is a mechanically-induced cardiomyocyte protein, and serum levels of ST2 have been shown to predict outcome in patients with acute myocardial infarction or heart failure. The research described in this paper illustrates that ST2 is a powerful biomarker for prediction of near term mortality in dyspneic as well as acute decompensated heart failure patients. Critical Diagnostics makes the Presage laboratory assays using ST2 for the diagnosis and prognosis of cardiovascular disease.

• Monogram Biosciences (South San Francisco, California) reported the launch of the company’s latest HIV diagnostic, the Trofile co-receptor tropism assay. This launch follows the report that Pfizer has received FDA approval of novel HIV therapy, Selzentry (maraviroc) tablets. Trofile was the pivotal test used for patient selection for Selzentry’s clinical development program and the two companies are engaged in a collaboration agreement to make Monogram’s assay available for patient use globally. Selzentry has been approved for the combination antiretroviral treatment of adults infected with only CCR5-tropic HIV-1 who have evidence of viral replication and have HIV-1 strains resistant to multiple antiretroviral agents. Trofile Assays have been performed on more than 23,000 samples in the company’s CLIA-certified laboratory. Monogram is making Trofile available to physicians immediately, so that it can be used to select patients in advance of Pfizer making Selzentry available in pharmacies.