• CoTherix (South San Francisco, California) reported that it has enrolled the first patient in the Reveal Registry, the first broadly defined registry designed to track and study the clinical course and medical management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The Reveal Registry is designed to provide physicians with real-world data about PAH disease management. The company's goal is for more than 50 institutions to participate in the registry and to enroll approximately 3,000 PAH patients over a two-year period. CoTherix's Ventavis (iloprost) Inhalation Solution was FDA approved in December 2004 for the treatment of PAH in patients with NYHA Class III or IV symptoms.

• Cynosure (Westford, Massachusetts), a manufacturer of light-based aesthetic treatment systems, said that physicians and experts will discuss the company's technology in five presentations at the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery meeting, Laser 2006, ongoing through Sunday in Boston. Cynosure's Cynergy with MultiPlex vascular laser system will be the focus of three sessions on Friday, discussing the advantages of using combined pulse dye laser and Nd:YAG lasers to obtain superior treatment results. Cynosure's Affirm skin rejuvenation system, which will be launched at Laser 2006, will be the focus of two sessions on Saturday. Clinical findings related to the company's TriActive LaserDermology system also will be featured at the meeting.

• Fujifilm Life Science (Stamford, Connecticut), a developer of imaging technology, reported the availability of the LAS-3000mini, a compact, super CCD luminescent image analyzer. Based on the LAS-3000, the mini offers researchers a high-performance desktop solution for luminescence applications. The compact image analysis system is designed for chemiluminescence and bioluminescence analysis, specifically for Western blotting applications. It incorporates Fuji's super CCD chip, which allows for resolution of 3.2 to 6.3 million pixels. The LAS-3000mini also uses the newly designed F0.85 Fujinon high-sensitivity lens to capture the faintest images. The low-noise design captures images at minus 30 degrees Celsius, allowing for increased exposure times. In addition, the compact body incorporates the modular darkroom and non-parallax tray.

• Smith & Nephew Orthopaedics (Memphis, Tennessee) reported the launch of the Journey Bi-Cruciate Stabilized Knee System, the first knee replacement system designed to restore natural knee motion. The anatomical knee system is designed to move and feel like a normal knee, and offers the additional durability of Smith & Nephew's alternate-bearing surface, Oxinium oxidized zirconium. The system is described as “bi-cruciate stabilized“ because unlike conventional knee systems, this design provides functions for both the anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament. The surgical technique is similar to other knee procedures, and the Journey system's newly designed instruments allow for both minimally invasive surgery and computer-assisted surgery. The Journey knee system offers more sizing options for better fit and minimal bone resections.