News

Night Read (Minnesota): EnteroMedics Inc. plans new clinical study on anti-obesity device

After discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, EnteroMedics will apply for approval to conduct another human trial to supplement results from an earlier study, which showed the company’s Maestro’s device did not perform any better than the control group.

Here are some news/notes from a day in MedCity, Minnesota:

EnteroMedics Inc. of Roseville is planning to conduct an additional clinical study to determine whether its medical device effectively treats obesity, according to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal. After discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, EnteroMedics will apply for approval to conduct another human trial to supplement results from an earlier study, which showed the company’s Maestro’s device did not perform any better than the control group.

Medtronic Inc. of Fridley said Thursday that data from two clinical trials will be presented at the 59th Annual Scientific session of the American College of Cardiology in March. The STOP-AF trial is testing Medtronic’s Arctic Front CryoAblation Catheter System, which uses extremely low temperature to treat tissue behind atrial fibrillation, or abnormal quivering of the heart. The CONNECT trials examines whether Medtronic’s remote patient monitoring system, called the CareLink network, might improve patient care and reduce health care costs.

American Medical Systems Inc. will pay Tissue Genesis Inc. $1.1 million for the rights to the company’s fat-derived regenerative cell technology used to treat pelvic health disorders. The payment is part of an overall research and development agreement between the two companies.

SurModics Inc. of Eden Prairie, which develops drug delivery and surface modification technologies, said first quarter revenue fell to $17.3 million from $63.2 million during the same period a year ago. Excluding the loss of  a license agreement with Merck, which included a $9 million termination fee, revenues increased 21 percent from first quarter 2009, the company said.