MIV Therapeutics (Atlanta) said that its Protea ultra-thin cobalt-alloy bare-metal stent has excelled in animal studies. The Protea is the company's next-generation bare-metal stent, with a strut thickness of 65 microns, a fixed geometry and uniform cell size for homogeneous delivery of drug to the local tissue, and what MIV said is a superior surface finish when compared to currently available cobalt alloy stents. The company said animal results showed that the Protea is statistically superior to one of the best and most deliverable cobalt-alloy bare-metal stents on the market today. MIV Therapeutics makes coatings and drug-delivery systems for cardiovascular stents and other implantable devices.

PEAK Surgical (Palo Alto, California) said that the FDA has granted clearance to market its PEAK surgery system for use in general surgery. The PEAK surgery system combines the Pulsar generator, which supplies pulsed plasma radiofrequency energy, with the PEAK PlasmaBlade 4.0, a low-temperature surgical cutting and coagulation tool. The Pulsar generator supplies pulsed plasma-mediated electrical discharges through the PlasmaBlade. Because the radiofrequency is provided in short on-and-off pulses and the blade contains highly insulated electrodes, the PlasmaBlade cuts tissue at an average temperature that is half that of a conventional electrosurgery device and can be as low as 50 degrees Centigrade. This temperature reduction results in reduced heat transfer and half the damage to surrounding tissues compared with traditional electrosurgical devices. The PlasmaBlade also can dissect tissue in a wet or dry surgical field. PEAK Surgical makes tissue dissection systems.

ThermoGenesis (Rancho Cordova, California) said that it has added 10 new distributors for its BioArchive system covering a number of key geographies outside the U.S. Three of the distributors will also have the rights for the company's AutoXpress (AXP) platform. The BioArchive is used for cryopreserving and archiving of stem cells and tissue, while the AXP is used for harvesting stem cells in a closed system from umbilical cord blood. The BioArchive system, an automated cryogenic device, is used by cord blood stem cell banks for cryopreserving and archiving cord blood stem cell units for transplant. The AXP device is used for the processing of cord blood. ThermoGenesis makes products that process and store adult stem cells.