As technology has advanced – and overlapped – in the life sciences and information technology spaces, it has created a nexus in which areas such as math, physics, computing, chemistry and biology intersect. And that intersection is the focus of Digitalis Ventures, which launched a new $100 million fund aimed at investing in health solutions. "It's really a coming together of these different technology realms," Digitalis founder and managing partner Geoff Smith told Medical Device Daily. "We're really interested in thinking about health, rather than thinking about disease, and [inverting] the common thinking in the health care space." It's a...

SAN FRANCISCO – Boston Scientific Corp. said its bid to bring its Lotus Edge transcatheter aortic valve technology (TAVR) to the U.S. will continue as planned. During a Tuesday breakout session at the 35th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare conference, the company said the issue had been resolved. Boston Scientific also noted it wasn't a design flaw in the device nor were there any safety issues. The firm said a fix to Lotus Edge required a combination of "minor process and specification changes", rather than any meaningful, costly and lengthy product redesigns.

SAN FRANCISCO – Edwards Lifesciences Corp. said it's doubling down on a plan to be successful in the transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) market. The Irvine, Calif.-based company laid out what said is its 'shots on goal' strategy to penetrate the TMVR space, during the 35th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. The increased focus on TMVR has been dubbed by some analysts as the 'second act' for Edwards, which has already established a leading position in the transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) space. "It will be Edwards' progress in mitral and transcuspid therapy that gives...

SAN FRANCISCO – Edwards Lifesciences Corp. said it's doubling down on a plan to be successful in the transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) market. The Irvine, Calif.-based company laid out what said is its 'shots on goal' strategy to penetrate the TMVR space, during the 35th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

Early cancer screening start up Grail Inc. could raise more than $1 billion in a series B round, making it in one of the largest financings in med-tech history. Grail said the funding would be used to develop a blood-based test for cancer screening. In addition, part of the funding would be used to repurchase a portion of Illumina Inc.'s stake in Grail. The San Diego-based company launched Grail almost a year ago. (See Medical Device Daily, Jan. 12, 2016.) Since that time, Grail has taken in $100 million in a series A round from...

Early cancer screening start up Grail Inc. could raise more than $1 billion in a series B round, making it in one of the largest financings in med-tech history. Grail said the funding would be used to develop a blood-based test for cancer screening. In addition, part of the funding would be used to repurchase a portion of Illumina Inc.'s stake in Grail.

Early cancer screening startup Grail could raise more than $1 billion in a series B round, making it in one of the largest financings in med-tech history. Grail said the funding would be used to develop a blood-based test for cancer screening. In addition, part of the funding would be used to repurchase a portion of Illumina Inc.'s stake in Grail.

Cerêve Inc. has raised $38 million in its series B round. The Oakmont Pa.-based company has developed the Cerêve Sleep System, a device designed to reduce latency to stage 1 and stage 2 sleep for people with insomnia. KKR led the financing and existing shareholders include Versant Ventures, Arboretum Ventures and Partner Ventures.

There's no question that both 2015 and 2016 were blockbuster years for surgical sealant maker Cohera Medical Inc. During the two-year period, the company brought in significant funding and received its first FDA device approval. The private company is getting off to a strong start in 2017 with the enrollment of the first patient in the clinical trial for the Sylys surgical sealant. The company said Sylys will serve as an adjunct to standard closure techniques in colorectal and ileorectal anastomosis procedures. "Sylys is a synthetic sealant and when using it, we're not asking doctors to change their technique," Patrick...