The years’ long effort by activist investor Politan Capital Management LP to take control of the Masimo Corp. board of directors and oust Masimo CEO and founder Joe Kiani took a turn for the weird this week as news emerged that Masimo Chief Operating Officer Bilal Muhsin notified the board that he would step down if Kiani were pushed out.

Confidence in working with Chinese biopharma companies has dropped by 30% to 50% for U.S.-based life sciences companies, with Chinese contract development and manufacturing organizations the hardest hit, according to a recent LEK survey of global life sciences companies on the impact of the pending U.S. Biosecure Act.

The problems with U.S. Medicare coverage for medical software are well known, but the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recently indicated that these problems are largely manageable for services delivered via managed care plans.

The U.S. FDA granted Signum Surgical Ltd. de novo marketing clearance for its Biohealx technology as a treatment for anal fistula. Biohealx is a single use, bioabsorbable implant, designed to not only to treat the condition in a minimally invasive procedure but also promote healing, prevent fistula recurrence and protect patient continence.

Quest Diagnostics Inc. agreed to purchase Canadian laboratory testing giant Lifelabs Inc. from the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System for US$985 million (CA$1.35 billion), including debt, in a deal expected to close by the end of the year. Quest projects that Lifelabs, which will retain its brand, headquarters and management, will contribute US$710 million in the first 12 months after closing.