It only took one successful assay developed by BD Diagnostics (Circle Sparks, Maryland) and Lab21 (Cambridge, UK), for both firms to realize they had something special when it comes to working together to get new products to market.

Cytori Therapeutics (San Diego) reported the initiation of the FDA approved ATHENA clinical trial to investigate Cytori's cell therapy in patients who suffer from a severe form of refractory (untreatable) heart failure due to chronic myocardial ischemia.