BOSTON – How are med-tech companies reacting to the findings of the EY Pulse of the Industry report 2019? Members of a panel examined this question this week during the Medtech Conference in Boston, while also offering their insight on where the industry is headed.

BOSTON – What are companies doing to be successful in the current environment of med-tech M&A valuation? That question was posed to panelists from three top device makers during the Medtech Conference Tuesday morning. Specifically, the panel, which featured representatives from New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic plc and Boston Scientific Corp., looked at overall valuations across the sector, as well as what it takes to produce a successful M&A strategy.

BOSTON – How are some of the newer technologies and players being harnessed to address the needs of aging populations? That question kicked off a session titled "Revolutionizing the Silver Economy," which took place at the Medtech Conference in Boston on Monday.

Functional Neuromodulation Ltd. is looking to help those suffering from mild Alzheimer's disease. To that end, it recently disclosed that it has kicked off the global ADvance II Study (NCT03622905), a pivotal clinical trial to assess deep brain stimulation (DBS) in these patients.

Croívalve, a Dublin-based startup supported by Enterprise Ireland that is developing a treatment for tricuspid regurgitation (TR), recently secured €4 million (US$4.4 million) in additional financing. The financing includes €2.5 million from the EU's Horizon 2020 SME Instrument grant and €1.5 million from Broadview Ventures and current investors Halo Business Angel Network Medtech and Irrus Syndicates, Atlantic Bridge University Fund and Sos Ventures. The funding will accelerate the development of the company's technology into first-in-human (FIH) studies.

Melbourne, Australia-based regenerative medicine company Avita Medical Ltd. has received good news from the FDA. The company, which also has a presence in Valencia, Calif., said the agency gave its thumbs up to an investigational device exemption application for a pivotal trial (NCT04091672) evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Recell autologous cell harvesting device in combination with meshed autografting for the treatment of acute full-thickness skin defects, such as degloving, crush wounds, abrasions, lacerations and surgical wounds.

Chronic bronchitis affects more than 9 million people in the U.S., but current treatments fail to address the overproduction of mucus. Gala Therapeutics Inc., of Menlo Park, Calif., is looking to change that.

Healthy.io had plenty of news to report last week. To begin, the Tel Aviv, Israel-based company, which is focusing on turning the smartphone camera into a clinical-grade medical device, now has a second clearance. In addition, the company closed a $60 million series C funding round.

Baxter International Inc. has struck a definitive agreement to acquire Cheetah Medical Inc., a provider of noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring technologies. The Deerfield, Ill.-based company agreed to pay $190 million up front in cash, with the potential for an additional $40 million based on clinical and commercial milestones.

Irvine, Calif.-based Axonics Modulation Technologies Inc., which has developed an implantable rechargeable sacral neuromodulation (r-SNM) device for the treatment of urinary and bowel dysfunction, has won the FDA's nod for its system to help patients with fecal incontinence.