23andme, of Mountain View, Calif., may appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to hear a patent dispute the company has with Ancestry.com of Lehi, Utah, without having to wait for the conclusion of a parallel dispute over trademarking. At risk is a gene profiling method for determining ancestry dubbed "identical-by-descent," but recent developments in case law suggest the patent has a tough road ahead of it.

Despite difficulties years ago, Medtronic plc has opted to pursue a pivotal trial program for its Symplicity Spyral renal denervation system to treat high blood pressure. To that end, it now is slated to start a clinical trial in medicated, uncontrolled hypertension patients, following on a trial initiated earlier this year in unmedicated hypertensive patients.