Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and spinal products continue to be trouble areas for medical device giant Medtronic (Minneapolis), according to the company's financial results for its first quarter of fiscal year 2012, which ended July 29, 2011.

A company focused on selling a drug-releasing implant for chronic sinusitis patients has received premarket approval (PMA) from the FDA for its Propel mometasone furoate implant offering localized, controlled drug delivery for chronic sinusitis patients. (Medical Device Daily)

Robert Langer A few weeks ago while working on a story about a new type of gel material that could be implanted into scarred vocal chords to restore their normal function, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from industry legend and the father of drug delivery Robert Langer, PhD. Langer, the David H. Koch Institute Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT; Cambridge), is a renowned expert in developing polymers for biomedical applications. Admittedly, five years ago, at the start of my Medical Device Daily career, I would not have been...

Several larger med-tech companies are making efforts to reposition themselves toward cutting edge technologies, according to the latest M&A report from the Walden Group (Tarrytown, New York). The firm's 2Q11 report suggests that the "sluggish economic recovery," and the "U.S. budget mess in Washington," are driving this trend by making traditionally high volume products such as hip and knee implants less predictable and profitable. (Medical Device Daily)