• Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (Vancouver, British Columbia) reported the completion of enrollment in its central venous catheter (CVC) pivotal study, which is designed to examine the safety and efficacy of Angiotech's 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) coated CVC in preventing bacterial catheter colonization when compared to another leading anti-infective CVC. CVC's are usually inserted into critically ill patients for extended periods of time to administer fluids, drugs, and nutrition, as well as facilitate frequent blood draws. One of the complications associated with CVC implantation is infection, which can occur when bacteria contaminate the catheter. CVC infections that progress to bloodstream infections, or septicemia, can become life threatening. The principle behind using 5-FU — an approved anti-cancer drug — is that the drug appears to effectively interrupt the colonization of an implanted medical device by those micro-organisms that typicallygain entrance to the bloodstream via the local skin penetration of implanted catheters. This reduction in colonization by bacteria may have a net effect of reducing biofilm burden on the implanted catheters, making them less likely to serve as reservoirs for additional infection. 5-FU has also been shown to inhibit the proliferation of a number of bacterial species directly which may be a second source of efficacy in preventing catheter-based infections. Angiotech is a specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company.

• ARC International (St. Albans, England) reported that CVRx (Maple Grove, Minnesota) has chosen a member of the configurable ARC 600 core family to drive its Rheos Baroreflex hypertension therapy system. CVRx chose a configurable ARC core because of its very small size, ability to operate using extremely low power, and long-term reliability – all key criteria for "deeply embedded" organic applications, it said. The Rheos system from CVRx is believed to reduce blood pressure by using the human body's natural blood pressure regulation system (the baroreflex). The system electrically stimulates the baroreflex, which sends signals to the brain suggesting a blood pressure increase. Then, the brain acts to lower blood pressure by sending signals to various parts of the body, including the blood vessels, heart and kidneys. The Rheos includes a small pulse generator that is implanted under the collar bone, two thin leads that are wrapped around the left and right carotid arteries, and a programmer system. CVRx makes implantable medical devices. ARC International makes configurable media subsystems and CPU/DSP processors.

• DePuy Mitek (Raynham, Massachusetts) reported the launch of the VAPR S50 Radiofrequency Electrode. The VAPR S50 uses radio frequency energy to smooth tissue and eliminate jagged edges resulting from the surgical removal of soft tissue in the knee or shoulder. It is designed to ablate soft tissue and remove debris, fluid and heat (suction), as well as seal blood vessels while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue and increasing visualization during arthroscopic surgery. The device is designed to offer surgeons optimal access to the tight anatomy of the knee or shoulder. At its default setting, the VAPR system provides sufficient power for controlled ablation including meniscal sculpting. Surgeons can adjust the wattage for aggressive tissue removal including ACL debridement, notchplasty or general tissue ablation. DePuy Mitek, a Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) company, makes surgical sports medicine and soft tissue repair devices.