ILUMIEN IV is the largest-ever prospective randomized trial to compare an intravascular imaging modality, plus angiography, to angiography alone in coronary interventions, according to Abbott. The trial will enroll up to 3,650 patients with high-risk complex disease at 125 centers in North America, Europe and Asia to determine if OCT-guided stenting yields larger vessel diameters and improves clinical outcomes for patients compared to stent procedures guided by standard angiography.

One bright spot emerging in this otherwise lackluster economy is the market for optical imaging technologies. Optical imaging encompasses a wide array of current and emerging techniques that use light as the primary imaging modality to characterize local anatomy down to cellular and molecular levels.

For the first time in five years, large cap, mid cap and financial buyers are all showing a willingness to acquire medical device companies thanks to improving credit markets and strong cash reserves.

The M&A market for medtech companies had already slowly started to climb off the mat after last year's collapse when Stryker and St. Jude Medical closed on two $1 billion-plus acquisitions. Still, Stryker's bid to acquire the neurovascular business of Boston Scientific and St. Jude's offer for structural heart disease company AGA Medical demonstrate how deep strategic acquirers are willing to dig to establish themselves in new markets.The combined price tag of $2.7 billion guaranteed that 2010 will be a better year for medical device mergers and acquisitions than 2009, at least as measured by disclosed prices paid.