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GenMark Diagnostics prices initial public offering

GenMark Diagnostics, Inc., a provider of automated, multiplex molecular diagnostic testing systems, announced today that its initial public offering of 4,600,000 shares of its common stock has been priced at $6.00 per share. The shares are expected to begin trading today on the NASDAQ Global Market under the ticker symbol "GNMK." In addition, GenMark has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 690,000 shares to cover over-allotments, if any.

29 May 2010

VaxGen signs definitive agreement to acquire diaDexus in stock-for-stock merger

VaxGen, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, and diaDexus, Inc., a privately held diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of patent-protected in vitro diagnostic products addressing unmet needs in cardiovascular disease, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which VaxGen will acquire diaDexus in a stock-for-stock merger.

29 May 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

A Lancet Infectious Diseases Leading Edge article examines the history of the global efforts to control polio and the challenges associated with targets to globally eradicate the disease. "The eradication of polio seems imminent, but with so few cases, there is a temptation to think an acceptable level of infection has been achieved. Not so.

29 May 2010

Ocean Medical Imaging Center acquires X-Ray Associates in NJ

Ocean Medical Imaging Center (OMIC), developed through a partnership with Lake Forest, Calif.-based InSight Health Services Holdings Corp., today announced that it acquired X-Ray Associates, P.A. in Toms River, NJ from the Sonix Medical Resources, Inc. bankruptcy proceeding in New York. OMIC purchased the new center for approximately $1.475 million.

29 May 2010

Hitachi Software, OriGene announce co-marketing agreement

Hitachi Software Engineering America, Ltd. and OriGene Technologies, Inc. today announced a co-marketing agreement to jointly promote OriGene's multiplex assays built on Luminex xMAP/Bio-Plex technology and Hitachi Software's MasterPlex software suite for analysis and reporting of multiplex assay data.

29 May 2010

Text of brochure mailed to Medicare beneficiaries

The federal government sent a brochure to more than 40 million Medicare beneficiaries, "Medicare and the New Health Care Law - What It Means for You," which is generating political controversy.

29 May 2010

Globe and Mail examines links between maternal health, HIV/AIDS ahead of G8 summit

"While the G8 is putting maternal health at the top of its agenda for next month's summit, fears are growing that the club of wealthy nations is neglecting one of the biggest killers of women: AIDS," the Globe and Mail reports in a piece that examines the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and what the newspaper describes as the G8's "backtracking" on previous pledges to provide universal access HIV/AIDS drugs.

29 May 2010

Aptilon first-quarter revenues up 174%

Aptilon Corporation, a leader in online marketing to physicians and healthcare professionals, today announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2010.

29 May 2010

LCRF to donate $25,000 for lung cancer studies at TGen

Following its first major Arizona fundraising event, the national Lung Cancer Research Foundation will donate $25,000 for lung cancer studies at the Translational Genomics Research Institute.

29 May 2010

Health law implementation deadlines missed, GOP offers repeal bill

Politico reports that the Obama administration has missed a health reform law deadline to set up a task force on breast cancer and another on health care in Alaska.

29 May 2010

DFG approves establishment of twelve new CRCs

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft has approved the establishment of twelve new Collaborative Research Centres beginning 1 July 2010. This was decided by the responsible Grants Committee at its spring meeting in Bonn. The new CRCs will initially be funded for four years with a total of 112 million euros (including a 20% programme allowance for indirect project costs).

29 May 2010

Victhom attributes 99.6% decrease in first-quarter revenues to transfer of development activities to Ossur

Victhom Human Bionics Inc. today reported its first quarter 2010 financial results.

29 May 2010

Medicare 'doughnut hole' rebate checks are in mail, Obama adminstration announces

Senior citizens who hit the so-called doughnut hole in Medicare's drug benefit will begin getting $250 rebate checks in two weeks, the Obama administration announced Thursday — providing one of the first tangible benefits of the recently enacted healthcare law. The rebates, designed in part to bolster support for the controversial law, are the first steps in a decade-long phase-out of the unpopular gap in Medicare Part D drug coverage.

29 May 2010

FDA approves Cysview for detection of non-muscle-invasive papillary cancer of bladder

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Cysview (hexaminolevulinate HCl) for the detection of non-muscle-invasive papillary cancer of the bladder in patients with known or suspected bladder cancer.

29 May 2010

Today's Opinions: Never-events, Medicare 'propaganda' and drug copays

According to the Labor Department, overall inflation has averaged about 2.5 percent annually, and prescription drug prices have gone up about 3.6 percent each year, over that time frame. Co-pays, though, have increased four times faster than inflation (Peter J. Pitts, 5/28).

29 May 2010

US HIFU acquires Sonatherm 600 medical device from Misonix

USHIFU, LLC (US HIFU), a world leader in minimally invasive high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technologies and manufacturer of the Sonablate® 500 (Sonablate) medical device, announces the acquisition of certain Misonix HIFU assets and European distribution rights. In addition, through its transaction with Misonix, US HIFU acquires the Sonatherm® 600 medical device, a laparoscopic HIFU system used to ablate certain soft tissues.

29 May 2010

Pancreatic cancer patients with circulating tumor cells tend to have worse outcomes: Study

Fox Chase Cancer Center investigators find that pancreatic cancer patients who have circulating tumor cells tend to have worse outcomes than patients without circulating tumor cells. Additionally, the team has uncovered evidence that not all circulating tumor cells are the same, and some may predict worse outcomes than others.

29 May 2010

Sebelius urges employers to quickly cover young adults

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey reports on a press conference yesterday in which Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius detailed how federal officials are working to get "self-insured employers — who provide health coverage for millions of Americans — to keep young adults up to age 26 on their parents' plans before the new law requires them to do so" (Carey, 5/28).

29 May 2010

New GreenLight XPS Laser System launched for treatment of BPH

American Medical Systems, a leading provider of world-class devices and therapies for both male and female pelvic health, today announced the launch and immediate availability of its new GreenLight XPS (Xcelerated Performance System) for laser treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate.

29 May 2010

Health law having effect on managed-care firms, medical suppliers

Managed-care firms may be positioned for a rebound on the stock market, The Wall Street Journal reports. "Over the past two years, the Standard & Poor's 500 managed-care index has fallen about 19%, weighed down by the health overhaul bill, weak economy and specific industry issues.

29 May 2010