Masimo’s planned buyout of Lidco could help expand its footprint into the US.

Brief summaries of recent medtech market and industry developments. This month we cover China’s switch to a centralized billing system, St. Jude Medical’s RESPECT PFO closure trial, FDA’s approval of HeartWare’s LVAD, and end-of-the-year medtech M&A.

Edwards Lifesciences announced that it was acquiring private Dutch company BMEYE BV, the developer of a new noninvasive technology for hemodynamic monitoring. Noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring has long been “The Holy Grail” in critical care, and non-invasive technology opens up new applications and new markets for Edwards as well.

Medical device financing--primarily made up of late venture rounds--totaled just over $1 billion in Q3 2009, a 19% increase over the previous quarter. Acquisition dollars in the industry also surpassed $1 billion and included two $400 million-deals by Abbott. Most of the third quarter financing into in vitro diagnostics and research/analytical came from Qiagen's $628 million FOPO. And Agilent's $1.5 billion purchase of bioanalytical instrument maker Varian was the highest-value takeover.