Battelle Pulmonary Therapeutics (BPT; Columbus, Ohio) has entered into a pilot study research agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK; Greenford, UK) to formulate and deliver a compound through to clinical proof-of-concept studies using BPT's electrohydrodynamic Mystic pulmonary delivery technology platform. Mystic devices deliver a soft cloud of uniformly sized particles directly to the lungs with better than 90% efficiency, and without the need for liquid propellants or other pressurized systems, the company said. The aerosol mist is delivered using the patient's own breath, meaning that the patient can control the drug delivery. The delivery mechanism is especially suited to use with infants, young children, seniors and patients with impaired respiratory function.

Cholestech (Hayward, California) signed a non-exclusive agreement for Allegiance Healthcare (McGraw Park, Illinois) to market, sell and distribute Cholestech products to health care providers in the U.S., including more than 100,000 physician office laboratories and acute care facilities. Financial terms were not disclosed. Cholestech makes point-of-care diagnostic systems

Jomed NV (Zurich, Switzerland) said it had agreed to license patents from Johnson & Johnson (New Brunswick, New Jersey) on the manufacture of balloon catheters for coronary and peripheral use. It did not say what royalty it would pay for non-exclusive rights to the intellectual property. Jomed said the deal would let it deliver catheters on a single platform technology, which would shorten the time it takes to bring products to market and increase economies of scale in manufacturing. It expects to launch its first catheters in the U.S. market in the first half of 2002.

Micro Therapeutics (MTI; Irvine, California) has entered into an agreement appointing EV3 International as its exclusive representative for the company's endovascular products, including Onyx, a treatment for conditions that can lead to stroke. EV3 International provides international sales and marketing services to companies initiating early commercialization activities. It will be responsible for establishing and managing a dedicated, trained sales force focused on interventional neurovascular products in key international markets, and managing local distributors in markets not yet ready for direct operations. MTI will retain an active role in its international distribution activities. MTI will remain responsibility for sales training and will continue to provide clinical support to key customers. The agreement covers all territories outside of the U.S. and Canada.