Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak has signaled that executives have to meet his strict criteria on acquisitions, but he may have to relax the rule in one product group.One analyst believes that to cement its leading position in a therapy that treats patients with uncontrolled hypertension, the Minnesota device maker will likely have to make an [...]

On Friday, Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) reported strong dataFriday from an overseas clinical trial that showed that its novel renal denervation therapy for uncontrolled hypertension worked and did not adversely affect the kidneys six months after treatment.Renal denervation is used to treat uncontrolled hypertension, or high blood pressure, by the ablation of the nerves that line the [...]

Last week, Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) broke ground on a new $14 million facility in Jacksonville, Florida.It marks an expansion of one of the few growing business segments of the Minnesota device maker — surgical technologies. The new 75,000-square-foot addition is expected to create 175 new full-time jobs by the end of 2015, according to the Jacksonville [...]

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) announced Monday that it is launching new surgical tools that will help ease physician hand fatigue that stems from spinal procedures.The electronic tools called Powerease are compatible with two Medtronic pedicle screw platforms on the market: the CD Horizon Solera Spinal System and the TSRH 3Dx Spinal System“Biomechanical testing demonstrated that when compared [...]

Medtronic announced Friday that it had launched a U.S. clinical study of drug-coated balloons to test them on patients with peripheral artery disease affecting the lower extremity.No drug-coated balloons are currently approved outside of clinical trials, said Joe McGrath, a Medtronic spokesman. Roughly 8 to 12 million people are affected with peripheral artery disease, according [...]

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) announced Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved its heart devices for treating people who suffer from mild symptoms of heart failure through an expanded indication.Previously, cardiac resynchronization therapy with implantable cardioverter defibrillator devices was approved only for those who showed moderate to severe symptoms. Under the current expanded approval, [...]

Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) announced Friday that it will pay $85 million to settle a class action securities fraud lawsuit related to its controversial bone growth product Infuse, but denied any wrongdoing.The Minneapolis Firefighters’ Relief Association brought the lawsuit against the device maker and alleged that the company and some of its current and former officers misrepresented [...]

 New data suggests that the risk of stroke related to the emerging therapy of transcatheter aortic value replacement is not as high as previously thought.At the American College of Cardiology meeting in Chicago earlier this week, both Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW) and Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) reported a lower risk for stroke for this therapy. It is considered [...]

Roughly three years after acquiring Ventor Technologies for $325 million, Medtronic (NYSE:MDT)is closing the Israeli operation and laying off 55 employees, according to an Israeli publication.Ventor Technologies brought transcatheter aortic valve technologies to Medtronic.A Medtronic spokesman confirmed Thursday that Ventor’s operations will cease in Israel, noting that the move is part of the company’s plan [...]

 Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) announced Thursday that the company’s Deep Brain Stimulation therapy has been approved to treat refractory epilepsy patients in Canada.Refractory epilepsy patients suffer from recurring seizures that cannot be controlled by medication.The Canadian approval was based on the results of a randomized, controlled, double-blind study that observed 110 patients who were implanted with the [...]