Marietta, Ga.-based Mirus LLC received the green light from the U.S. FDA for the MoRe-based Europa pedicle screw system. MoRe is a proprietary molybdenum rhenium superalloy for medical implants, and the company said this is the first medical device with this new class of implant material. The company is looking to help those undergoing spine deformity surgery, which said Munish Gupta, Mildred B. Simon distinguished professor of orthopedic surgery, director of adult/pediatric spinal deformity service and professor of neurological surgery at Washington University, is plagued with problems, including rod failure in 18 percent to 20 percent of adult patients.

Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Vision Inc. said patients wearing its investigational antihistamine-releasing contact lens (etafilcon A/0.019 mg ketotifen) had lower mean itching scores after their eyes were exposed to allergens vs. those wearing non-medicated control lenses, according to results from two phase III studies.