TORONTO – Health Canada has green-lighted an all-in-one virtual reality (VR) platform for use in diagnostic radiology. Software developer Luxsonic Technologies Inc. said the award of a class II medical device license to its mobile Sievrt suite of diagnostic tools is the first time a VR system of this kind has been approved by a national regulatory agency.

TORONTO – A “silent epidemic” all but “ignored” by medical technology developers. That’s how Carlo Perez, founder and CEO of Swift Medical Inc., described the hesitancy of the industry to directly tackle chronic wound care through development of more advanced medical imaging and diagnostic systems. Undaunted, U.S. and Canadian investors have raised $35 million in series B funding to advance development and uptake of Swift Medical’s own AI-powered, digital wound care platform.

PERTH, Australia – The Australian government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) has funded a new program called the Artificial Heart Frontiers Program that aims to develop and commercialize a world-first durable total artificial heart. The Medical Research Future Fund has provided A$1 million (US$739,000) in funding that will establish the program over the next five years.

Microport Scientific Corp.’s cardiac rhythm disorders subsidiary, Microport Cardiac Rhythm Management Ltd. (Microport CRM), has confirmed agreements for a series C financing that would net it total investment proceeds of $150 million. Hillhouse Capital Group and Microport will co-lead the series C investment with investments of $20 million and $47 million, respectively.

Medtronic plc reported it will acquire Intersect ENT, a deal that represents a major expansion of Medtronic’s footprint in the ear/nose/throat (ENT) space. Intersect’s products for chronic rhinosinusitis will give Medtronic access to a medical market said to be among the top 10 most expensive conditions for employers, with a potential patient population of 35 million in the U.S. alone.