• BioMimetic Therapeutics (Franklin, Tennessee) reported results from its pilot clinical study evaluating the safety and clinical use of Augment Injectable Bone Graft (AIBG, formerly known as GEM OS2) for the treatment of closed distal radius (wrist) fractures. The AIBG study evaluated safety and clinical utility for the use of this product candidate to enhance bone healing in the minimally invasive treatment of fractures of the distal radius. It is noteworthy that the Augment Injectable group of patients was, on average, more osteopenic/osteoporotic than the control group (avg. score -1.9 vs. -0.9) as measured by the standard T-score, which is a relative measure of bone density compared with the average bone density of young healthy adults.

• C. R. Bard (Murray Hill, New Jersey) said it has received FDA approval to market the Flair endovascular stent graft with an optimized delivery system. The device, comprised of a self-expanding Nitinol stent encapsulated within Bard's ePTFE graft material, is marketed by the Bard Peripheral Vascular Division. The Flair Endovascular Stent Graft is indicated to treat stenoses in synthetic arteriovenous bypass grafts. More than 300,000 patients with end-stage renal disease in the U.S. rely on these bypass grafts to receive hemodialysis treatment, according to Bard. These stenoses are the leading cause of bypass graft malfunction, compromising dialysis quality. Typically, multiple interventions, primarily with balloon angioplasty, are necessary to maintain the patency of bypass grafts over their useful lives.

• Oculus Innovative Sciences (Petaluma, California) said that its Microcyn wound care OTC, a non-irritating pH-balanced wound cleanser, is now available over-the-counter in the U.S. Microcyn wound care OTC, which has been cleared by the FDA for moistening absorbent wound dressings and cleaning minor cuts, minor burns, superficial abrasions and minor irritations of the skin, is safe to use around the nose, mouth and eyes. Additionally, it is ready to use with no mixing, dilution or rinsing required and can be used directly on the wound or in combination with gauze, sponges or other absorbent wound dressings.

• Peak Surgical (Palo Alto, California) has introduced two extensions to its PlasmaBlade family of disposable surgical cutting and coagulation tools. The PlasmaBlade needle, which has a fine needlepoint tip, is designed for ultra-precise surgical procedures. The PlasmaBlade EXT is designed for use in surgical procedures requiring an extended-reach tip. The PlasmaBlade 4.0 is designed to be used to cut through all types of soft tissue, including skin, fat and muscle. All of the PlasmaBlade tissue dissection tools are used in conjunction with Peak's Pulsar generator, which provides pulsed plasma radiofrequency energy to the PlasmaBlade to create surgical incisions and control bleeding.