This week, Quest Diagnostics contracted with the CDC to research the public health impact of hepatitis C; FDA Commissioner Robert Califf published a blog post on clinical trial transparency; Dexcom and Abbott approached a deal in their CGM patent case; and SoClean, Cordis and Eitan all announced recalls.

The Ninth Annual Symposium for the International Society for the Advance of Spine Surgery (SAS9), held this spring in London, welcomed almost 1,700 attendees, double that of 2008, and most sessions provided a spirit of optimism despite the harsh economic environment. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) took center stage as applications widen and techniques improve, while facet joint replacement devices and materials to simplify revisions also drew crowds.

By focusing on an overlooked but critical element of spinal anatomy, the facet joint, Archus is applying established principles of total joint replacement to create a new opportunity in spine, while also expanding the potential opportunities in disc replacement.

Artificial discs are experiencing a cooling trend owing to an expected reduction in CMS reimbursement for both cervical and lumbar disc replacement. Many motion preservation companies are reaching critical regulatory milestones that will likely require a step-up in funding to conduct the large scale clinical studies needed to gain PMA approval. Today, companies in this sector are faced with the troubling task of either scaling back R&D programs to conserve cash or raising additional capital to take the next steps.