Several crucial trial readouts in diabetes and obesity will come this year and next, and the stakes are high.

A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, "Biotechs Eye Macular Degeneration," features profiles of Acucela, Iconic Therapeutics, MacuCLEAR, Ophthotech, Optherion and Sirion Therapeutics. "Scoping Out Gastroenterology Start-Ups" features profiles of invendo medical, Mauna Kea Technologies and Softscope Medical Technologies. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: Bone Solutions, Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Savara and VasoNova.

Bone Solutions recently received FDA clearance on the first product from its magnesium-based technology platform. OsteoCrete is an injectable or moldable compound used as a bone void filler for long-bone and pelvis applications. In addition to its strength and versatility, OsteoCrete is osteoconductive, so it will accelerate bone healing.

A brief discussion of a few new companies in the spine and orthopedic surgery market that presented at Medtech Insight and Windhover Information's IN SPINE & ORTHOPEDICS conference in Las Vegas, December 2006.