Abbott Laboratories has secured FDA clearance for its latest optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging platform powered by the company’s new Ultreon software. The artificial intelligence (AI)-powered imaging software allows doctors to view coronary blood flow and blockages more clearly, aiding in care management and treatment decisions. Read More

PERTH, Australia – In a possible world-first decision, an Australian court has ruled that artificial intelligence can be named as the inventor of a patent. Federal Court Justice Jonathan Beach ruled in Thaler v. Commissioner of Patents that under Australian patent law, inventors don’t necessarily have to be human. Read More

The annual scramble for elevated payment rates under the U.S. Medicare inpatient rule has concluded, and at least one artificial intelligence product came up short in its bid for a new technology add-on (NTAP) payment. However, Medtronic plc, Boston Scientific Corp. and Cook Medical Inc. all secured or sustained NTAP payments for products that are critical for patients with a variety of life-threatening conditions, such as severe pulmonary valve regurgitation in pediatric patients. Read More

For the first time ever, Canada will be granting patent term adjustments beginning in January. That’s welcome news for the biopharmaceutical and med-tech industries, and it’s long overdue, Jeffrey Morton, a partner at Snell & Wilmer LLP, told BioWorld. Read More

PARIS – Onera Technologies B.V closed a $12.5 million series B round to ramp up development of its patch-based Sleep Test System. Read More

For the second time in less than 30 days, a company indirectly acquired by Abbott has settled with the U.S. government over alleged violations of the False Claims Act (FCA). In this instance, the now-defunct Arriva Medical LLC and its parent company Alere Inc. have agreed to pay $160 million to settle allegations that Arriva caused false Medicare claims to be filed for glucometers. Read More

Citing a surge in merger filings, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said it is adjusting its process for reviewing mergers, which means more mergers may be reviewed retroactively. Read More

New hires and promotions in the med-tech industry, including: Cerus, Foundation Medicine, Heartflow, HST Pathways, Intelgenx Technologies, Personal Genome Diagnostics, Rapid Micro Biosystems. Read More

Med-tech firms raising money in public or private financings, including: Append Medical, Livanova. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Boston Scientific, Daxor, Fist Assist, Natera. Read More

Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Aditxt, Avacta Group, Electrocore, Fio, Mel-Mont Medical, Mighty Oak Medical, Neuropace, Orthopediatrics, Relay Medical, Speedx. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Immunovia. Read More