Carmell Therapeutics Corp., of Pittsburgh, received fast track designation from the U.S. FDA for its first product, CT-101, a bone healing accelerant. Carmell is gearing up for a phase III study of the plasma-based bioactive accelerant as part of its pursuit of a biologic license application.

Carmell Therapeutics Corp., of Pittsburgh, received fast track designation from the U.S. FDA for its first product, CT-101, a bone healing accelerant. Carmell is gearing up for a phase III study of the plasma-based bioactive accelerant as part of its pursuit of a biologic license application.

The Trump administration has proposed a policy to gradually reopen the U.S. for business, part of which is to allow a resumption of elective procedures and treatments in outpatient settings. While patients with urgent medical needs presumably are being treated already, the policy would seem to promise a boost in volumes for certain devices, such as coronary artery stents, knee implants and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) devices, all of which enjoy at least limited Medicare coverage for outpatient use.

Warsaw, Ind.-based Orthopediatrics Corp. is scooping up Apifix Ltd., allowing it to gain the Minimally Invasive Deformity Correction (MID-C) system, which is used to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. BTIG’s Ryan Zimmerman noted that the deal has a potential value of $67 million plus potential future revenue milestones. “The initial upfront payment has a ~$37 [million] value, composed of $2 million in cash and ~935k shares of common stock,” he added.