• BioLucent (Aliso Viejo, California) will present a poster at the conference of the National Consortium of Breast Centers on its MammoPad breast cushion, combined with training in breast positioning, to increase compression and tissue acquisition and decreasr discomfort. The poster describes a study that compared each patient's current and most recent prior mammogram. The study shows a statistically significant increase in compression force and tissue acquisition for all four views. MammoPad is a radiolucent foam cushion that covers the cold, hard surfaces of mammography equipment. BioLucent is focused on the early detection and treatment of breast cancer.

• Cordis (Miami Lakes, Florida) reported the launch of the REGATTA steerable guidewires that assist the placement of catheters and other interventional devices in coronary arteries. The devices are designed to facilitate access to side branches with features that ease placement in highly narrowed arteries. The different selections for each version refer to variations in tip type, tip profile, lateral support and/or wire length. Cordis produces interventional vascular technology.

• Dale Medical (Plainville, Massachusetts) reported a larger size abdominal binder that provides comfortable and evenly distributed post-operative support for obese patients. The binder is an adjustable post-operative support made from a stretch material that evenly distributes compression to brace abdominal muscles, encourages mobility, and promotes muscle redevelopment, Dade said. Featuring paneled construction which prevents riding, roping and folding over, this support encourages activity, facilitates diaphragmatic breathing, and splints the wound for coughing. The binder is made from a latex-free, all-elastic material which permits circumferential compression and uses Velcro hooks to engage anywhere along the binder.

• Menssana Research (Fort Lee, New Jersey) said it has developed a new breath test that has been reported to detect lung cancer in its early stage. Michael Phillips, MD, CEO of Menssana, said, "We developed a breathalyzer that is one billion times more sensitive than those the police use to measure alcohol in the breath. It detects around 200 different chemicals in a person's breath, and some of these chemicals are markers of cancer. A breath test has great advantages over most other medical tests … . There are no potentially dangerous X-rays to worry about, and it will certainly be a lot less expensive than chest imaging." The test has not yet received regulatory approvals in the U.S. or Europe. Menssana is developing breath tests to detect several other diseases in their early stages, including pulmonary tuberculosis, breast cancer and ischemic heart disease.

• Meridian Bioscience (Cincinnati) reports receiving FDA clearance to market ImmunoCard STAT! EHEC, a test to diagnose E. coli infection. The product detects all Shiga-toxin producing E. coli and is the first rapid (20 minute) E. coli diagnostic that differentiates between Toxin 1 & Toxin 2. New CDC recommendations published in September 2006 recommend that laboratories use a test that detects all Shiga-toxin producing E. coli, not just a test that detects the O157 E. coli strain. ImmunoCard STAT! EHEC provides a practical solution that will enable laboratories to adopt those new CDC recommendations. Meridian makes test kits, purified reagents and related products and offers biopharmaceutical enabling technologies.

• Milestone Scientific (Livingston, New Jersey) said it will unveil its single tooth anesthesia system during this year's Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. The system is comprised of a computer-controlled drive unit and a single-use disposable handpiece/needle assembly. It provides real-time visual and audible feedback and verbal announcements, taking the guesswork out of the administration of anesthetic. Specifically, the system enables the dental professional to precisely administer an intraligementary injection to anesthetize a single tooth in only one to two minutes, rather than administering a mandibular block that anesthetizes an entire quadrant. Milestone Scientific specializes in computer controlled local anesthetic delivery.

• Motion Computing (San Francisco) has introduced its new C5 mobile clinical assistant (MCA), a new computing category, created by Intel with support from Motion to enable clinicians to do their jobs on the move. The Motion C5 integrates design elements with point-of-care data and image capture technologies to simplify workflows, ease clinician workloads and improve overall quality of care. The C5 brings automated patient data management directly to the point of care. The C5 combines multiple devices into one — including a built-in barcode and RFID reader for patient identification and supply, specimen and medication administration verification; a built-in camera; and a fingerprint reader to improve security and simplify clinician authentication. ), Motion Computing specializes in ultramobile computing and wireless communications.

• Power3 Medical Products (Houston) reported filing an application with the U.S. Patent and trademark office for 10 new biomarkers it discovered for use in the early diagnosis and detection of breast cancer. The invention/patent application relates to 10 protein biomarkers in blood serum that undergo pronounced changes in blood serum concentration with meaningful indications of early detection of breast cancer. When used in combination, this new group of biomarkers has distinguished 75 breast cancer patients from 110 normal control individuals with greater than 90% sensitivity and greater than 95% specificity. Power3 Medical Products is a producer of protein biomarkers, pathways, and mechanisms of diseases, through the development of diagnostic tests and drug targets for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.