Cardiology News and Research

Latest Cardiology News and Research

Pfizer pleads guilty of defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and other government-funded health care programs

Pfizer, Inc. announced today it has agreed to plead guilty to criminal conduct and to pay more than $2 billion in criminal and civil fines, penalties and damages to settle allegations made in multiple whistleblower lawsuits that the pharmaceutical giant defrauded Medicare, Medicaid and other government-funded health care programs in connection with its market practices for four of its drugs. The settlement is the largest qui tam settlement in U.S. history.

3 Sep 2009

SYNTAX clinical trial results announced

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced two-year data from its SYNTAX clinical trial comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using the TAXUS((R)) Express((R)) Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

3 Sep 2009

CRT-D implants for treating sudden cardiac death

Electrophysiologists Robert Stevenson, MD, and Jeffrey L. Williams, MD, MS, FACC, are safely implanting cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators in the Good Samaritan Hospital (GSH) Cardiology (Heart Failure) Program.

3 Sep 2009

TAHU recommends revision of proposed healthcare plan

The Texas Association of Health Underwriters (TAHU) released a statement on behalf of more than 1700 insurance agents from across the state of Texas outlining their recommendation for a revision to the proposed healthcare plan.

3 Sep 2009

New Technology Showcase highlighting life science technologies to be featured

LifeScience Alley announced today that eight life science organizations from around the United States and Canada will be exhibiting cutting-edge technologies at the association’s Annual Conference on Dec. 9 as part of the New Technology Showcase.

3 Sep 2009

MIPI to sub-license the Onalta brand 90-Y edotreotide radiotherapeutic

Molecular Insight Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has completed an agreement to sub-license its Onalta™ brand 90-Y edotreotide radiotherapeutic in certain countries in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, Russia and Turkey to BioMedica Life Sciences, S.A., Athens, Greece.

3 Sep 2009

Bio-Reference Laboratories reports third-quarter fiscal 2009 revenues

Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: BRLI) (Except for Per Share Data or where otherwise noted, numbers are in thousands) announced that the Company recorded current quarter revenues of $97,424, the best ever quarter in terms of revenues in corporate history and an increase of more than 25% over the $77,776 recorded in the third quarter, fiscal year 2008.

3 Sep 2009

Thermo Fisher Scientific to acquire B.R.A.H.M.S. for $470 million

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO), the world leader in serving science, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire B.R.A.H.M.S. AG for €330 million (approximately $470 million USD). B.R.A.H.M.S. is a leading provider of specialty in-vitro diagnostic tests based on its patented biomarkers for sepsis, cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, as well as intensive care treatments and prenatal screening.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 3 Sep 2009

New device for treating hypoglycemia launched globally

At this year’s annual meeting of the International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Medtronic, Inc. announced the global launch of a novel technology designed to provide additional protection against the risks associated with hypoglycemia.

3 Sep 2009

m.pulse system for MCP therapy installed in ten hospitals

Cardiola AG announced today that it has placed its patented m.pulse system in 10 hospitals located in Germany and Switzerland, on the heels of the system’s CE-Mark approval. MCP was previously only available in a clinical setting. Now, m.pulse is the world’s first and only device enabling CAD patients to receive MCP therapy at home.

3 Sep 2009

Sepracor to be acquired by Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma for $2.6 billion

Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. (“DSP”, TSE: 4506) and Sepracor Inc. (“Sepracor”, Nasdaq: SEPR) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which DSP will acquire Sepracor for approximately $2.6 billion through a cash tender offer of $23.00 per share, followed by a merger to acquire all remaining outstanding Sepracor shares at the same price paid in the tender offer.

3 Sep 2009

CIF launches campaign by distributing a "Ten Tips "card to help parents easily identify potential life threatening injuries

As high school student-athletes begin the academic year and participate in double-day sports practices statewide, the California Interscholastic Federation is drawing attention to the health risks associated with concussions, heat stroke and dehydration.

3 Sep 2009

Bextra qui tam lawsuit leads to Pfizer's whopping $2.3 billion settlement

The decision by a Pfizer sales representative in Florida to file a whistleblower ("qui tam") lawsuit in 2003 kicked off the federal and state investigations that led to Pfizer's record-breaking $2.3 billion settlement today.

3 Sep 2009

Avastin increases survival rates in recurrent glioblastoma affected patients

The targeted therapy Avastin, alone and in combination with the chemotherapy drug CPT-11, significantly increased response rates, progression-free survival times and survival rates in patients with a deadly form of brain cancer that had recurred.

3 Sep 2009

Also in global health news: Vietnam PEPFAR funding; remote village health care; HIV in India; UNICEF budget; mapping drug shortages

PEPFAR will continue to fund HIV/AIDS programs in Vietnam, Hoang Thanh Hai, a spokesperson, said on Tuesday at a memorial for 100 people who died as a result of complications from the disease, Bernama reports. "Since 2004, PEPFAR has provided $320 million to help Vietnam provide comprehensive services on taking precautionary measures against the disease and care and treatment of HIV" patients, the news service writes (9/2).

3 Sep 2009

Scientists demonstrate the link between cancer and diesel fumes

Scientists here are the first to demonstrate that the link between diesel fume exposure and cancer lies in the ability of diesel exhaust to induce the growth of new blood vessels that serve as a food supply for solid tumors.

2 Sep 2009

Accumetrics signs a distribution agreement with Grifols for its VerifyNow System in Spain, Portugal and Chile

Accumetrics, Inc. has announced the signing of a new exclusive distribution agreement for its VerifyNow(R) System in Spain, Portugal and Chile with Grifols S.A.. This distribution agreement will continue to expand Accumetrics' reach in both scope and geography, and add to the growing numbers of countries where physicians have access to the VerifyNow System.

2 Sep 2009

ICD implantation reduces mortality in heart attack patients

Findings from the latest PreSCD II analysis show that patients protected against sudden cardiac death by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) one month or more after MI showed a non-significantRemarkably," says investigator Professor Heinz Völler from the Klinik am See in Ruedersdorf, Germany, "we observed in the data a survival benefit that increased with the time interval between MI and ICD implantation."

2 Sep 2009

Combination of LIVALO and itraconazole drugs shows no adverse reactions

...

2 Sep 2009

Survey on the current routine practice in CRT implantations in patients with heart failure

The European cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) Survey is a joint initiative taken by the Heart Failure Association (HFA) and European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology. Its primary objective is to describe current European practice and routines associated with the implantation of a CRT device with or without an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator) capability in patients with heart failure.

2 Sep 2009