Almost 11 years to the day after first gaining FDA clearance, the Sonarmed airway monitoring system finally launched on a commercial scale in the U.S. The new rollout appears likely to revive the product’s prospects as it comes with significantly increased financial backing and deep connections to hospitals as a result of Sonarmed’s acquisition by Medtronic plc in December 2020. The system, which uses acoustic technology to identify endotracheal tube obstruction and verify proper tube positioning in neonates and infants who require invasive mechanical ventilation, has been implemented in a small number of hospitals to date.

PERTH, Australia – The FDA granted Oncores Medical Pty. Ltd. breakthrough device designation for its quantitative micro-elastography (QME) imaging system. The hand-held imaging tool helps surgeons differentiate between cancerous and healthy tissue in real time at the point of surgery, and it could substantially improve outcomes in breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and reduce repeat operations for women with breast cancer.

The FDA’s presenters at this year’s joint FDA/Xavier med-tech conference presented on a range of issues, such as the breakthrough devices premarket program and the agency’s postmarket surveillance efforts. However, the two FDA presenters both remarked that these functional areas are hampered by lack of resources, suggesting the agency has a unified message about resources that permeates negotiations for the next device user fee agreement.

HONG KONG – The Vietnamese Ministry of Health (MoH) has published a draft decree intended to refine the legal framework for regulating medical devices in the country. Released under the title Official Dispatch No. 2271/BYT-TB-CT, the draft document consolidates the amendments made to the current decree and introduces new sections addressing clinical trials, the Essential Principles for Safety and Efficiency of Medical Devices, and advertising.

China saw $28.5 billion invested in its life sciences sector in 2020, which was double the previous year’s amount and sets a five-year high. Partnering activities and IPOs also grew exponentially over the last five years to set records.