Synchron Inc. has acquired an equity stake in German manufacturer Acquandas GmbH in a move that will strengthen the company’s innovation and supply chain for its brain-computer interface system, Synchron founder and CEO Tom Oxley said.

Royal Philips NV recently received some good news from the U.S. FDA which cleared its latest transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) ultrasound transducer, amidst ongoing efforts with the regulatory body to address problems with its sleep business. The X11-4t Mini 3D TEE transducer is 35% smaller than previous versions and is designed to provide cardiologists with high quality 3D images of the heart and its internal structure.

Hologic Inc.’s focus on women’s health is looking like a brilliant move as the company lands U.S. FDA clearance for its Genius digital diagnostics system with the Genius cervical artificial intelligence algorithm, making it the first digital cytology system with clearance, the company said.

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. received some good news with the earlier-than-expected U.S. FDA approval of its Evoque tricuspid valve replacement system. The company beat out rival Abbott Laboratories for the honor of being the first transcatheter therapy to receive FDA approval.

A team of inventors from Artarmon, Australia-headquartered Saluda Medical Pty Ltd. including founder and former CEO, John Parker, applied for patent protection for enhancements to the neurostimulation monitoring capabilities of Evoke.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has drawn blistering criticism over the past couple of years over its handling of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity, criticism that was anything but blunted in a Jan. 31 webinar on the subject.