Orthofix (Lewisville, Texas) is narrowing its focus and concentrating more on the spine and orthopedics space with the news of it divesting its sports medicine business unit Breg (Carlsbag, California).

Two of the largest firms in med-tech are working together to broaden both their diagnostics and cardiovascular offerings. Abbott (Abbott Park, Illinois) and St. Jude Medical (St. Paul, Minnesota) reported the formation of Choice Alliance, a multi-year joint initiative that provides mutual U.S. customers access to a robust portfolio of interventional cardiology, cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology and intravascular imaging and diagnostic technologies.

It might sound clich , but the stakes have never been so high in the medical device space. The growth of emerging markets, the upcoming medical device excise tax, and the Physician Payment Sunshine act are major issues that will probably offer up a significant change in the landscape and the way firms conduct business. The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed; Washington) revealed its recently completed three-year strategic plan that it said would address some of these issues and help the industry maintain its competitive edge and encourage innovation.