• Affymetrix (Santa Clara, California) and Children’s Research Institute (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) reported a five-year alliance to help Children’s Research build processing capacity to analyze up to 25,000 samples using several different Affymetrix arrays. The goal of the alliance is to demonstrate the clinical utility of array-based molecular diagnostics and to leverage arrays to make molecular diagnostic tests better, faster and more economical. Scientists at Children’s Research will use Affymetrix’s GeneChip microarray technology to analyze the genomic information of consenting patients. Large-scale clinical studies are designed to enable researchers to better identify the genetic variations associated with common, complex diseases that affect children and use the resulting information to develop diagnostic and screening tests. Children’s Research is a not-for-profit research organization of Children’s Hospital and Health System affiliated with Medical College of Wisconsin (Madison).

• Cardinal Health, (Dublin Ohio), reported an exclusive, four-year distribution agreement with HemCon Medical Technologies (Portland, Oregon) to provide its new line of hemorrhage control bandages to hospitals, surgery centers and physician offices in the U.S. HemCon said it recently reengineered its bandages to meet the specific needs of civilian trauma and emergency medicine. The new bandages, which control severe arterial bleeding, are thinner, more flexible and sized differently than the original HemCon military bandage. The technology used in the bandages is particularly useful in hospital settings, because it allows providers to standardize one hemorrhage control solution across multiple disciplines, according to the company. HemCon’s new bandages will be available in a variety of sizes, have a three-year shelf life and are latex-free.

• Exact Sciences (Marlborough, Massachusetts) reported that it has signed a letter of intent with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp; Burlington, North Carolina) to further strengthen and expand their relationship related to Exact’s stool-based DNA technologies for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Specific provisions of the letter of intent preserve the economic value of the prior relationship, including all royalties on PreGen-Plus sales as well as $40 million of existing milestone payments that Exact may receive from LabCorp. The letter of intent also provides for an additional $2.5 million milestone payment related to the inclusion of sDNA testing in the updated CRC screening guidelines, Medicare reimbursement and specified increases in sales of PreGen-Plus. Exact and LabCorp remain committed to the launch of Version 2 of Exact’s stool-based DNA technology in the first half of 2008.

• Inviro Medical Devices (Atlanta) said it has entered into a new agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners (San Diego) that provides members of the Premier alliance continuing access to Inviro’s portfolio of InviroSNAP! safety syringe products. Inviro’s initial agreement was awarded as part of Premier’s Technology Breakthroughs Program, effective May 1, 2007; the new agreement is a three-year contract effective Oct. 1, 2007.

• Neoprobe (Dublin, Ohio), a developer of oncology and cardiovascular surgical and diagnostic products, said it has signed a term sheet with Cardinal Health (Dublin, Ohio) for the distribution of Lymphoseek on an exclusive basis in the U.S. through Cardinal’s more than 150 nuclear pharmacies and wholesale distribution operations to in-hospital nuclear pharmacies. Lymphoseek (Technetium Tc99m DTPA-mannosyl-dextran) is a radioactive lymphatic mapping agent developed by Neoprobe for use with handheld gamma detection devices, such as Neoprobe’s neo2000 system, in a surgical procedure known as Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy.

• Spinal Restoration (Austin, Texas) and Baxter Healthcare (Deerfield, Illinois) said they have entered into an exclusive, long-term partnership to develop and commercialize Biostat Biologx fibrin sealant, a key element of Spinal Restoration’s new biologic therapy for chronic low back pain. Baxter’s fibrin sealant will be combined with the company’s technologies to create the Biostat disc augmentation system, a minimally invasive product that will be developed and tested for the treatment of painful degeneration of intervertebral discs. Biostat Biologx fibrin sealant will be developed to augment the healing and repair of painful defects within the intervertebral disc area of the spine. The product is intended to exploit the biologic benefits of fibrin, the human-based, protein polymer used by nature to guide and stimulate all human tissue wound repair.

• Third Wave Technologies (Madison, Wisconsin) reported that it has signed a pharmacogentics collaboration with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp; Burlington, North Carolina) to develop a companion diagnostic to help physicians personalize treatment for heart failure patients. The test is being developed with Third wave’s Invader chemistry in conjunction with the prescription of bucindolol, a next-generation beta blocker being developed by ARCA Discovery (Denver, Colorado).