A Medical Device Daily

Iris International (Chatsworth, California), a manufacturer of automated in vitro diagnostics urinalysis systems and medical devices used in hospitals and reference clinical laboratories worldwide, said its Advanced Digital Imaging Research subsidiary (ADIR; Houston) has been awarded a $746,167 research grant from the National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, Maryland) for “Multi-resolution Autofocusing for Automated Microscopy.“

Under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II grant, ADIR will seek over two years to develop advanced techniques that will further improve the company's capabilities to maintain the specimen image in focus in its automated microscope instruments.

“Automated microscope focusing is an increasingly important feature in high-volume, low-cost medical diagnosis,“ said Dr. Kenneth Castleman, president of ADIR. “Automatic focusing is a key element affecting performance, and multi-resolution techniques offer considerable promise for improvements in this critical function.“

Cesar Garcia, president and CEO of IRIS, said, “Autofocus software is potentially useful in a number of future IRIS products and high-value applications. This new development program underscores the important role that ADIR plays in our company. The grant brings to $4.2 million ADIR's total federal funding for research and development covering the next three years.“

BioVeris (Gaithersburg, Maryland) and Brooke Army Medical Center's (BAMC; Fort Sam Houston, Texas) department of clinical investigation have entered into a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to develop BioVeris technology-based tests for the detection of clinical markers of disease and disease progression or recovery.

Work under the CRADA will occur over the next two years. BioVeris will be able to commercialize tests of clinical significance that may be identified from the research. The CRADA is expected to provide research experience for the medical residents of the teaching program at Brooke Army Medical Center.

BioVeris technology-based systems are currently sold commercially for the detection of markers of potential bioterror agents, such as botulinum neurotoxin, ricin and staphylococcal enterotoxins, have demonstrated a potential for rapid, specific and sensitive tests.

The tests expected to be developed under the CRADA will explore numerous clinical markers to improve patient diagnosis and monitoring for the military community and the public.

AuthentiDate Holding (Schenectady, New York) reported that its healthcare solutions division, Trac Medical Solutions (TracMed; also Schenectady), has entered into a master service agreement with Lincare Holdings (Clearwater, Florida), a provider of oxygen and other respiratory therapy services delivered to patients in the home.

Lincare will implement TracMed's CareCertES, a Web-based solution that automates and speeds the process of securing and authenticating electronic healthcare forms. With more than 700 locations in the U.S., Lincare is the second-largest provider of home medical equipment.