Biomet (Warsaw, Indiana) has signed an agreement with Diamicron (Orem, Utah) to develop and distribute, on a worldwide basis, diamond articulation technology for total hip arthroplasty. Based on Diamicron's polycrystalline diamond composite technology, diamond wear couples offer an alternative to conventional wear couples with both structural integrity and superior wear properties. Biomet has been granted semi-exclusive rights to distribute initial hip products along with Exactech (Gainesville, Florida). Biomet has option rights to develop other joint replacement products, including knee replacements, based on Diamicron's polycrystalline technology.

CompuMed (Los Angeles, California) has been awarded a five-year renewal of its contract to provide electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation systems and services for the New York State Department of Correctional Services. The department will buy a minimum of 87 CardioGram systems along with ongoing ECG remote interpretation services. The new Internet-optimized CardioGram system is based on a server platform created by Schiller AG (Baar, Switzerland) and customized to meet CompuMed's specifications.

Delphi Medical Systems (Troy, Michigan) has licensed the right to manufacture and market the ambulatory intravenous pump and associated disposables and accessories of Debiotech (Switzerland). Miniature and accurate, the dual battery-operated and AC-powered portable pump is lightweight, small enough to be hand-held, making it useful for use in home care and alternate sites. The pump is designed to be easily clipped onto various accessories, such as IV poles and wheelchairs.

Diagnostic Products Corp. (DPC; Los Angeles, California) and Thermo Electron (Waltham, Massachusetts) unveiled a distribution agreement for the Thermo Konelab clinical chemistry systems and the TCAutomation laboratory automation products. The agreement provides DPC with distribution rights to sell the Konelab clinical chemistry systems for human clinical diagnostics and veterinary testing in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. In France and Germany, DPC will lead efforts to market the Konelab product line when sold together with the Immulite family of systems.

DOBI Medical International (Mahwah, New Jersey) signed an agreement with Biotech Medical (Panama City, Panama) for the marketing, sale and service of DOBI's ComfortScan system in the Central American markets of Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia and Nicaragua. The ComfortScan system is a non-invasive, non-ionizing and gentle dynamic optical imaging system designed to assist physicians in the detection and management of breast cancer. The sales agreement calls for Biotech to place an initial purchase order for a ComfortScan system in 3Q04, and to conduct an initial clinical trial within the region.

Hologic (Bedford, Massachusetts), a provider of women's diagnostic imaging systems and digital imaging systems, has entered into a collaborative research agreement with the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) to study a variety of advanced breast imaging applications. Hologic and UCLA will collaborate on a number of research projects to assess current uses of breast imaging modalities and to explore potential methods for improved screening and diagnostic applications.

Hospira (Lake Forest, Illinois), one of the largest hospital products manufacturers in the U.S., and Consorta (Rolling Meadows, Illinois), a group purchasing organization, reported an amendment to the companies' existing infusion therapy pump agreement. The amendment allows Consorta's member facilities more flexible terms to access Hospira's medication management products – including the Plum A+ infusion therapy system and Hospira MedNet drug library software, including the option to upgrade to the advanced Plum A+ and MedNet medication management products.

Medwave (Danvers, Massachusetts), a developer of sensor-based, non-invasive blood pressure-measuring solutions, and Zoll Medical (Chelmsford, Massachusetts), a maker of non-invasive resuscitation devices and software solutions, reported signing an OEM supplier agreement, under which Zoll will purchase Medwave's non-invasive blood pressure technology for incorporation into its cardiac resuscitation products.

Novation (Irving, Texas), the supply company of VHA (also Irving) and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC; Oak Brook, Illinois), has signed an agreement with Bayer HealthCare Diagnostics (Tarrytown, New York) that runs through June 14, 2007. Bayer Diagnostics said it will make available to the VHA and UHC member base of more than 2,300 hospitals its molecular diagnostics product portfolio for infectious diseases including the Versant bDNA assays for the hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus, as well as Trugene HIV-1 Genotyping Kits and OpenGene DNA Sequencing System. The agreement also extends to organizations that purchase supplies through HealthCare Purchasing Partners International (Irving, Texas).