Medtronic Archives - Page 11 of 59 - Medical Design Sourcing

Medtronic, Allurion partner on AI-based weight loss tech

The Allurion Program. [Image courtesy of Allurion]Allurion announced today that it entered into a pilot collaboration with Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) + .

Allurion and Medtronic inked a sales agency agreement in the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMA) region. The agreement aims to expand access to Allurion’s artificial intelligence-powered weight loss program. It enables Allurion to offer its Allurion Balloon and accelerate the utilization of its Iris AI platform. The company aims to leverage Medtronic’s channels to enhance the management of bariatric surgery patients.

Natick, Massachusetts-based Allurion’s program combines its Allurion Balloon with the Allurion Virtual Care Suite. The company said its balloon is the world’s first and only swallowable, procedure-less gastric balloon for weight loss. Its Iris platform powers the Virtual Care Suite, a remote patient monitoring solutio…

5 growth areas where Medtronic’s CEO wants to invest more

Medtronic CEO and Chair Geoff Martha [Photo courtesy of Medtronic]

With Medtronic selling off and spinning off businesses, CEO and Chair Geoff Martha recently shared his strategy on divestitures and the high-growth areas where he wants to invest more.

Martha was speaking at this month’s Goldman Sachs Annual Global Healthcare Conference, where he also offered his perspective on labor conditions, supply chain issues, international markets, plans to increase R&D spending and the latest on the Hugo surgical robotics system.

How Medtronic — the world’s largest medical device company — and its leader think about which businesses to sell and which to build can help competing device developers, partners and suppliers better understand medtech’s changing landscape.

Medtronic’s divestiture strategy

Medtronic announced plans in May 2022 to spin off its kidney care/dialysis busines…

The top IVD innovation news stories of 2023 — so far

[Image courtesy of the National Cancer Institute via Unsplash]This year is proving to be another important year for innovation in the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) space.

According to the FDA, IVD devices are tests performed on samples taken from the human body. They could be everything from blood tests processed in labs to home COVID-19 or pregnancy tests to continuous glucose monitors using tiny sensors stuck under to skin to measure blood glucose — and much more.

Here are five IVD innovation stories that have caught our attention so far this year:

5. Hologic wins FDA clearance for COVID-flu-RSV assay

Last winter, the U.S. and other countries dealt with a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV. So it was welcome news in May when Hologic announced FDA 510(k) clearance of its Panther Fusion SARS-CoV-2/Flu A/B/RSV assay. The news came months after the FDA granted an emergency use authorization for a COVID/flu/RSV test from BD.

Read the full story a…

How Medtronic’s conflict minerals program investigates red flag suppliers

Gold is one of the most commonly used conflict minerals. [Illustration by Yuliia via Adobe Stock]

Materials like gold, tin and tungsten can save lives when used in medical devices, but global manufacturers like Medtronic must take steps to avoid inadvertently funding violence and human rights abuses with these “conflict minerals.”

Medtronic is the largest medical device company in the world, so its conflict minerals program is a good example of how medtech manufacturers look deep into their supply chain to comply with federal disclosure requirements.

“At Medtronic, we’re committed to maintaining good citizenship as a company, which includes obtaining the minerals necessary to manufacture our products only from socially responsible sources,” the company said in a statement to Medical Design & Outsourcing.

What are conflict minerals?

Conflict minerals include cassiterite,…

Medtronic begins U.S. shipments of MiniMed 780G, looks to next-gen CGM

The MiniMed 780G with the Guardian 4 sensor. [Image courtesy of Medtronic]Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said it began shipping its next-generation MiniMed 780G automated insulin delivery system in the U.S. this month.

Additionally, CEO Geoff Martha offered some insight into the Diabetes unit’s product pipeline, which includes a next-generation continuous glucose monitor (CGM).

Shortly after confirming the shipments, Martha took questions at the Goldman Sachs global healthcare conference. Among many things, Martha touched on the direction of Medtronic’s Diabetes unit.

Get the full story at our sister site, Drug Delivery Business News.

Medtronic CEO Geoff Martha offers updates on supply chain, labor, R&D, Hugo and more

Medtronic CEO and Chair Geoff Martha [Photo courtesy of Medtronic]

Medtronic CEO and Chair Geoff Martha spoke today at the Goldman Sachs Annual Global Healthcare Conference, sharing insights on a range of important issues for medtech developers.

Martha — who leads the world’s largest medical device company — offered his latest observations on labor, supply chain issues and international markets. He also discussed plans to increase R&D spending and the latest on Medtronic’s surgical robotics system, Hugo.

The 35-minute interview is already available for replay. The following excerpts have been lightly edited for space and clarity:

Labor issues are abating, allowing for increased procedure volumes

“The labor markets have gotten a little better. Some of the procedures that were lagging were really dependent on labor like TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) and things l…

Medtronic warns on potential cardioversion damage with some Vanta neurostimulators

The Vanta recharge-free neurostimulator. [Image from Medtronic]Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) issued an urgent field safety notice in Europe to warn of potential issues with its Vanta implantable neurostimulator (INS).

The letter communicated mitigations to reduce the risk of damage to the Model 977006 Vanta from a cardioversion procedure. It was dated June 2023.

Medtronic said a cardioversion procedure may damage the electronics in the Vanta INS device. This could render the INS unresponsive and non-functional. As of April 19, 2023, Medtronic received a total of two complaints concerning this issue, according to the notice. Both complaints, which came from patients implanted with Vanta INS, resulted in explant procedures.

The company said it identified programming mitigations that reduce the risk of damage associated with this issue. In the event of damage to the device, Medtronic said surgical INS replacement is required to restore stimulation therapy. Cessation of…

How Medtronic uses nitinol to improve the structure and effectiveness of heart devices

Tim Laske is Medtronic’s VP of Research & Business Development, Cardiac Ablation Solutions. [Photo courtesy of Medtronic]

Tim Laske, VP of research and business development for Medtronic‘s cardiac ablation solutions business, discusses the challenges of designing devices for the heart and explores the properties of nitinol.

The heart is often one of the most underappreciated aspects of human anatomy, and its atrial appendages are often overlooked even in cardiac anatomy.

These delicate and astonishingly thin structures are challenges for medical device developers.

Some intricate structures within the heart are so thin that a business card can be read through them, said Tim Laske, VP of research and business development for the cardiac ablation solutions business at Medtronic. When observing the heart in a surgical space, it becomes evident that atrial appendages carry blood, emphasizing the ne…

New ethylene oxide rules could trigger sterilization consolidation — and new options

Firefighters training on a simulated ethylene oxide leak [Photo via Adobe Stock]

The largest commercial sterilizers will likely absorb the costs of new ethylene oxide (EtO) regulations — and could consolidate smaller competitors, according to a new analysis from Moody’s Investors Services.

Tighter controls on EtO emissions would increase capital spending and operating costs for all commercial sterilizers who use the toxic gas, which is the most commonly used method for eliminating infection-causing microbes from medical devices.

“Large companies have enough liquidity to fund the significant increase in spending without incremental debt,” Moody’s said in a subscribers-only report this week. “But the higher costs and compliance requirements could make the business less attractive for some small companies.”

The largest commercial sterilizers can absorb the cost of new…

Sterilization startup Phiex adds ex-Medtronic chief medical and scientific officer as advisor

Phiex advisor Dr. Rick Kuntz was formerly Medtronic’s chief medical and scientific officer. [Photo courtesy o Kuntz]

Retired Medtronic Chief Medical and Scientific Officer Dr. Rick Kuntz has joined Phiex as an advisor as the medical device sterilization startup works toward commercialization.

Phiex is developing a new method for medical device sterilization using dry powder that generates chlorine dioxide gas inside product packaging.

The company sees a big opportunity to offer an alternative to ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization, which is the most commonly used method in medtech but faces new safety regulations over health risk concerns.

“It’s clear that EtO’s going to have to go away. It’s just not going to be tolerated … and I just think this is the best alternative,” Kuntz said today in an interview with Medical Design & Outsourcing.

Kuntz j…

Medtronic names former Amazon consumer robotics VP as chief technology and innovation officer

Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) + today announced it appointed former Amazon executive Ken Washington as chief technology and innovation officer.

In this newly created role, Washington will leverage his extensive experience leading technology development and execution across industries, including robotics, consumer products, automotive and space. He will also become a member of the Medtronic Executive Committee.

“This new leadership role will help Medtronic to harness the innovative spirit of our founders and ensure we are capitalizing on our scientific and technological knowledge to invent, innovate and disrupt the healthcare technology market of the future,” Chair and CEO Geoff Martha said in a news release. “Dr. Washington will help Medtronic expand use of our technology platforms across our portfolio – including robotics, sensors, implantables and AI – improving our returns on investments in innovation and …

A veteran Medtronic executive takes a new role at Baxter

Julie Brewer, president of Patient Support Systems, Global Surgical Solutions and Care Communications at Baxter [Image from Brewer’s LinkedIn profile]Medtronic Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Services President Julie Brewer has left for a new position at Baxter.

Brewer announced on LinkedIn near the end of last week that she has joined Baxter (NYSE: BAX) + as President of the Patient Support Systems, Global Surgical Solutions and Care Communications team.

“Baxter is a great company with a wonderful purpose of saving and sustaining lives,” Brewer said. “I spent the last couple of days meeting many on the team and came away energized and excited about the road ahead.”

Brewer also had positive words about Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) + , where she started as an area VP and rose through the ranks.

“After almost 17 years with Medtronic, I am mov…