It was a good week for companies focused on minimally invasive brain surgery. Monteris Medical Corp. received $35 million in a series D equity financing and a $38 million debt facility to support market adoption and clinical research on its Neuroblate system, a laser ablation system that provides a minimally invasive option for brain surgery. Nico Corp. also raised additional funds, with a $12.5 million oversubscribed round for its devices, which do not require cutting through the brain but instead use the natural folds of the brain to reach abnormalities.

Cresilon Inc. raised $25 million in a series A-4 financing round led by Paulson Investment Co. The funds will be used to commercialize its plant-based hemostatic gel for human applications and bring it to global veterinary markets. Known as Vetigel in animal medicine, the product is used by veterinarians to instantly stop bleeding in dental and surgical procedures and emergency situations in the U.S., U.K., Europe and Canada.

Ernst & Young’s (EY) annual Pulse of the Industry report offers plenty of reasons for optimism within med tech as the impact of the pandemic recedes, while identifying several key areas that will require continued focus for the sector’s long-term success.

Ixlayer Inc. partnered with CVS Health Corp. to streamline lab testing, lower costs and provide actionable steps for patients through a new at-home testing service. Starting with vitamin D levels, Lyme disease, sexually transmitted infections and thyroid function, the collaboration will put a wide range of common lab tests on the pharmacy giant’s shelves and online service for consumers to buy without a prescription or doctor’s visit and at a reduced cost compared to conventional testing channels.

After years of aggressive acquisitions, Medtronic plc joined 3M Co., General Electric Co. and Johnson & Johnson in rationalizing its business by splitting into more focused enterprises. Medtronic will separate its patient monitoring and respiratory therapy groups into a new company with projected annual revenue of $2.2 billion and 8,000 employees in the next 12 to 18 months, assuming regulatory and final board approvals.

Another company has entered the fray in the eternal battle between humans and bacteria. Day Zero Diagnostics Inc. aims to produce whole genome sequencing-based diagnostic technologies that quickly identify the species and antibiotic resistance profile of bacterial pathogens from a blood sample. In a vote of confidence that the company is on the right track, the global non-profit Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) awarded Day Zero another $8.2 million. The latest funding pushes Day Zero’s awards from CARB-X over $16 million.

Aural Analytics Inc. and Hhitt Inc., dba Hitcheck, teamed up to offer a cognitive assessment application that could quickly answer the question, “Should he play?” after a hit to the head during a game. Considering the controversy over Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s loss of consciousness following his second head injury in two games last month, the cognitive assessment tool, which includes clinical-grade speech analytics, comes none too soon.

Sinaptica Therapeutics Inc. received a U.S. FDA breakthrough device designation for its electromagnetic therapy for Alzheimer’s disease. Sinaptistim-AD combines neurostimulation, brain wave monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) to address the cognitive and functional decline in patients with the neurological disorder.

Surge Therapeutics Inc. landed $26 million in funding through a series A fundraising round to accelerate development of its intraoperative immunotherapy hydrogel.