Royal Philips is slated to purchase Eugene, Ore.-based start up Electrical Geodesics Inc. to add its noninvasive brain activity monitoring and interpretation technology. The deal is expected to complement Philips existing imaging technology and neurological informatics portfolio to better address disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury and Parkinson's disease. Philips plans to use the start up's technology to enhance its neurological imaging, mapping and therapy guidance portfolio. EGI offers noninvasive neurodiagnostic and neuromodulation products to monitor, interpret and modulate brain activity using its dense array electroencephalography (dEEG) platform technology. Chasing neuro The newly...

The Senate health care reform bill debuted to a waiting and somewhat hostile Washington, and as expected, the legislation retains the repeal of the tax on medical devices and diagnostics found in the House bill. The language in the Senate bill is seen as little more than a draft of what will eventually go to the Senate floor for a vote, however, a vote that most likely will be held under budget reconciliation rules. The Republican Party has something of a tailwind in the form of several wins in special congressional elections over the past...

Glaukos Medical Corp. is slowly proving its stent used in the treatment of glaucoma can be used as a standalone therapy, dispelling the idea the device must be used in conjunction with cataract procedures. The San Clemente, Calif.-based company, which competes in the Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) space, revealed hard data in the form of a 53 open-angle glaucoma patient study. Results showed that Glaukos' Istent Inject Trabecular Micro-Bypass stent, combined with topical travoprost, delivered a 35 percent reduction in mean intraocular pressure (IOP) to 12.9 millimeters Hg after 18 months of follow-up. The results...

K2M Group Holdings Inc. is launching its Sahara Al Expandable stabilization system, the company's first expandable offering within its interbody portfolio. Sahara adds more ammunition to the Leesburg, Va.-based company's portfolio options and its bid to gain more share in the spine market, which has seen significant consolidation over the past few years. K2M is third in the complex spine market, trailing behind New Brunswick, N.J.-based Johnson & Johnson Corp. and Dublin-based Medtronic plc. K2M's Sahara has a multiscrew fixation, designed to provide stability to the anterior column, while featuring a comprehensive range of lordotic...

Perkinelmer Inc. has set its sights on beefing up its diagnostics offerings with a proposal to acquire Euroimmun Medical Laboratory Diagnostics AG, a private company, for $1.3 billion. If the deal goes through, then the Waltham, Mass.-based company could expand its reach into the autoimmune and allergy diagnostic markets. Shares of Perkinelmer (NYSE:PKI) jumped about 6.5 percent during Monday trade, opening at 64.75 and closing at $67.73. Acquiring Lübeck, Germany-based Euroimmun would also give Perkinelmer great inroads into the China market. Sales in China account for about 45 percent of the $310 million in revenue...

Watson Health is working hard to demonstrate the seriousness of its ongoing efforts in oncology, highlighting its research and customers at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference. The Boston-based IBM business had six presentations at ASCO based on its data and touted that its oncology product is being used at more than 55 cancer centers globally. But experts in the field of machine learning suggest that the real innovation and value-add for machine learning in oncology is in the analysis of radiology images, which are not addressed by the medical record and...

Wide-neck bifurcations in cerebral aneurysms are among the most difficult to treat. Vancouver start up Evasc Neurovascular Enterprises ULC has developed the Eclips Aneurysm Remodeling System; it's expected to offer a potential new standard-of-care, particularly in wide-neck bifurcations. Better aneurysm option? The company has just secured a C$10 million ($7.5 million) series A financing that it expects will be sufficient to continue an ongoing European trial, to conduct a French trial aimed at reimbursement and to start an FDA IDE trial in early 2018. It also plans to update the current device with the funds,...

Orthopedics giant Stryker Corp. has long been committed to advancing 3-D printing in its manufacturing. It has completed a facility dedicated to 3-D manufacturing in Carrigtohill, County Cork, Ireland, and is now in the midst of filling it with the latest equipment. As part of this effort, the Kalamazoo, Mich.-based company now has partnered with GE Additive, which focuses on additive manufacturing that encompasses 3-D printing. The deal includes the provision of new additive machines, materials and services for use throughout Stryker's global supply chain operations. Stryker has a history of major buy-in for potentially...

Centogene AG already has revenues from patient use of its expansive genetic testing portfolio for orphan disease patients – as well as from biopharma partnerships including a deal with rare disease specialist Shire plc. Now, the Rostock, Germany-based start up has secured a €25 million (US$28 million) series A round to expand its presence globally, broaden its biomarker as well as companion and genetic diagnostic offerings, as well as to move into oncogenetics. It aims to further build upon three business segments: Genetic Testing, Pharmaceutical Collaborations and Big Data Solutions. The former has been driving...

Medical robotics company Myomo Inc. goes public with IPO offering of $5 million at $7.50 per share. The Cambridge, Mass., company specializes in mobility devices for the arms and hands. The company's initial public offering was for 665,498 shares of common stock, sold at $7.50 per share for a total of $5 million. An additional private investment sale of restricted securities resulted in $2.9 million, totaling $7.9 million for Myomo. The private sale was closed primarily to those already investing in the company. Cash flow is expected to be used in the company's assistive prosthetic...