TORONTO – Calgary-based Circle Cardiovascular Imaging Inc. is receiving CA$2.65 million (US$2.09 million) in funding from the Canadian government’s Western Diversification Program (WDP), which represents nearly half of the more than CA$5.5 million (US$3.35 million) investment made to four Alberta-based organizations and companies. Company CEO Greg Ogrodnick attributes this to Circle Cardiovascular’s position “as the world leader in cardiovascular imaging.”

The storm of controversy over the use of paclitaxel in devices for the peripheral vasculature had a dramatic effect on utilization, but a new study coming out of Sweden seems to have helped further ease concerns about purported mortality associated with this antiproliferative. While this unplanned interim analysis lends yet more support to the view that the mortality signal in the so-called Katsanos paper did not reflect a true biological finding, the net effect of the controversy has prompted a call for a registry that might eliminate some statistical noise that had a significant and harmful impact on patients.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final version of a proposed rewrite of the national coverage determination (NCD) for mitral valve repair devices that includes a coverage with evidence development (CED) mandate. The final also retains the draft’s provisions for secondary mitral valve regurgitation, which analysts say will double or even triple the market for devices thus approved by the FDA.

Haemonetics Corp. said Wednesday that it will acquire Cardiva Medical Inc., a privately held manufacturer of blood closure systems, for up to $510 million. The all-cash deal expands Haemonetics’ hospital portfolio with two catheter-based devices used to shut off access sites following minimally invasive cardiology and electrophysiology (EP) procedures.

PERTH, Australia – Australia’s Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Industry Growth Center (MTPConnect) is boosting funding for the translation and commercialization of research in diabetes, cardiovascular disease and regenerative medicine.

TORONTO – The 2-French Electrophysiology Catheter (2F) had its Canadian launch in mid-December at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where electrophysiologist Benedict Glover used it to map the small, tortuous branches of the coronary sinus in a patient suffering from cardiac arrhythmia. Developed by Toronto-based Baylis Medical Inc., the 2F is expected to work in tandem with the company’s larger 6F catheter to help diagnose comparatively rare but complex heart arrhythmias.

With uncertainty continuing to surround the ongoing pandemic, Biointellisense Inc. has revealed that it is teaming up with the American College of Cardiology (ACC) to advance remote patient monitoring programs for cardiac care. In addition, the ACC plans to offer the company's Biobutton COVID-19 Screening Solution at the 70th Annual Scientific Session & Expo, scheduled for May 15-17 in Atlanta.