Allied Diagnostic Imaging Resources (Norcross, Georgia), the medical X-ray chemistry subsidiary of CPAC (Leicester, New York), has entered into an agreement with Premier (San Diego, California), whose group purchasing arm serves more than 1,800 U.S. hospitals and health care sites. The three-year contract provides Premier members and affiliates with preferred pricing on Allied's Autex brand medical imaging chemicals, as well as the option to purchase silver recovery equipment and silver refining services from Allied. The Allied chemical products were chosen by Premier for their ability to enhance and optimize the image of Agfa films used by Premier members. A complete range of other Allied chemical products is also available under the agreement.

Colorado MEDtech (CMED; Boulder, Colorado) a provider of advanced medical technology outsourcing services and critical components for medical imaging systems, has signed agreements, worth approximately $13.8 million, to supply power subsystems to an unnamed maker of diagnostic medical equipment for its line of clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners. The agreements call for Colorado MEDtech to supply current and next-generation solid state critical components over the next 18 months. Under the agreement, CMED will supply RF amplifiers, embedded power/ control systems and system interface modules for a broad cross-section of the manufacturer's MRI product line. The commitment for next-generation solid-state components is contingent on continued performance of prototypes.

Gentiva Health Services (Melville, New York), a provider of specialty pharmaceutical and home health care services, said that it has initiated a partnership with SIMS Deltec (St. Paul, Minnesota), a maker of ambulatory infusion devices. Under the partnership, Deltec will become Gentiva's single preferred provider of infusion pumps. Gentiva will use three Deltec infusion pumps – the CADD-Legacy, the CADD-Prizm and the Deltec 3000 – in providing specialty pharmaceutical therapies.

Pharmalicensing (York, UK) and NetsPat (London), two companies engaged in building next-generation, Internet-based platforms for the global intellectual property (IP) and business development industry, said they have signed a strategic partnership agreement for online IP management in the life sciences industry. The combined strengths of the two companies will create a seamless IP solution that allows pharmaceutical and biotech executives to manage their patenting and licensing activities via a secure online platform. Pharmalicensing enables managers, researchers and developers to establish business relationships, find help and advice and obtain business intelligence. NetsPat delivers a management information system to companies for handling intellectual property. The system is provided online, and is customized to the client's needs.

Thoratec (Pleasanton, California) has entered into an agreement with Impra, a subsidiary of C. R. Bard (Murray Hill, New Jersey), to distribute Thoratec's Vectra Vascular Access Graft (VAG). Impra will receive exclusive U.S. marketing and distribution rights to the device. The agreement runs through December 2006, with opportunities for extensions. Thoratec and Impra remain in discussions for the international distribution rights, with the exception of Japan. Other terms and conditions of the agreement have not been disclosed. The Vectra VAG is used to provide vascular access for patients suffering from end stage renal disease who are undergoing hemodialysis. The agreement with Impra replaces an agreement between Thoratec and Guidant (Indianapolis, Indiana) signed in early 1999, which has been terminated. Impra develops vascular graft technology. C. R. Bard is a maker of health care products in the fields of vascular, urology, oncology and surgical specialty products.

Venetec International (San Diego, California), maker of StatLock safety securement devices, has signed an agreement with Cook (Bloomington, Indiana) for Cook to include the StatLock Universal Plus securement device in all of its drainage catheter sets. Cook will have exclusive access to StatLock Universal Plus for drainage catheter securement over a two-year period. Cook's line of percutaneous drainage catheters is used for abscess, biliary and nephrostomy drainage, among other applications. The catheters drain areas of the body percutaneously, thereby avoiding major surgical procedures. Under an earlier agreement, Cook includes StatLock PICC and PICC Plus safety securement devices in its catheter sets for peripherally inserted central catheters.

Weston Medical Group (Peterborough, England) has signed an agreement with Patheon UK Ltd. (Swindon, United Kingdom) for the manufacture of Intraject, Weston Medical's lead product platform for needle-free injection of liquid drugs. The agreement will allow for a commercial-scale Intraject drug filling and assembly line to be installed at Patheon's facilities in Swindon, with Weston Medical then able to provide its licensees with commercial volumes of fully validated, drug-filled Intraject devices by the end of 2002. Weston's commercial strategy is to out-license the Intraject technology to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for specified drugs, and the company has completed licensing agreements with several companies, including Roche and GlaxoSmithKline.