While there is tremendous enthusiasm for GLP-1 drugs for use in obesity, and 80% of the U.S. population is eligible to use the therapies, tremendous obstacles continue to block their access. The blockages include high prices that consumers currently cannot afford coupled with employer health plans that don’t offer the new treatments.

The contest between the two main classes of antiproliferatives for circulatory system use continues as seen in a presentation at this year’s Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics.

GT Metabolic Solutions Inc. received U.S. FDA clearance for its Magdi bariatric surgery system. The system uses magnets to create side-to-side duodeno-ileal anastomosis without cutting intestinal tissue or leaving foreign materials in the body permanently.

Atherectomy devices play a key role in dealing with calcified coronary arteries. But a study presented at this year’s Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics demonstrates that angioplasty balloons made a lot of headway in this clinical area, potentially pushing atherectomy devices into the fringes of routine practice.

Mobile health platform company Helfie AI has partnered with Microsoft to offer Microsoft enterprise customers the ability to license Helfie’s cutting-edge health assessment tools directly through the Microsoft Azure Marketplace.