• Advanced Magnetics (Cambridge, Massachusetts) reported that the independent data monitoring committee (DMC) providing oversight of the ferumoxytol Phase III intravenous iron replacement therapy program met for the final time and informed the company that it has carefully reviewed the cumulative safety data from the ferumoxytol Phase III studies and identified no safety concerns. The DMC also recommended the continuation of the ferumoxytol Phase III studies with no modifications. Ferumoxytol is in trials for use as an intravenous iron replacement therapeutic in chronic kidney disease patients, whether or not on dialysis. Advanced Magnetics is a developer of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles used in pharmaceutical products.

• Focus Diagnostics (Cypress, California) reported receiving clearance for its Plexus HerpeSelect 1 and 2 IgG test kit, which uses multiplex type-specific HSV serology panel using xMAP technology from Luminex. The test kit provides laboratories with a complete HSV serology profile from a single specimen, in a single assay, using Luminex instrumentation. The Plexus assay uses glycoprotein G — gG1 and gG2 — the antigens corresponding to HSV-type 1 and 2, respectively. The Luminex xMAP technology uses laser optics similar to flow cytometry and an array of fluorescent dye-labeled beads to simultaneously detect multiple targets in the same specimen. Focus Diagnostics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics, is an infectious disease diagnostics company.

• Merge Healthcare (Milwaukee) reported the release of Merge Mammo version 7.0. The system enables the display and reading of images from different systems simultaneously (digital mammography, ultrasound, MR, CR, etc.), and reading of all breast studies on a single workstation, regardless of which vendor’s acquisition device is used to secure the images. The updated Mammo version offers new features including: enhanced full-resolution viewing, optimized screen real estate, and enhanced inverted imaging. Merge is a medical imaging software and services provider.

• Ortho Organizers (Carlsbad, California), a maker of orthodontic products, reported introducing OrthoShield Orthodontic Antimicrobial Technology, developed in partnership with AgION Technology (Wakefield, Massachusetts). The technology, to be incorporated into several products, is designed to help in reducing microbial growth on treated surfaces. The technology consists of a patented delivery process that releases non-toxic, natural silver ions in the presence of moisture. Ortho Organizers’ OrthoShield Orthodontic Antimicrobial products are embedded with silver ions which effectively reduce and inhibit microbial growth on the surfaces of OrthoShield Orthodontic Antimicrobial Technology products throughout the life of the product.