LabCorp inks $150M takeover of Myriad Genetics autoimmune testing unit

The diagnostics giant discussed its interest in M&A last week, outlining plans to use up to $2 billion in free cash flow to strengthen its businesses through acquisitions.

By Nick Paul Taylor • May 4, 2021

Siemens raises outlook as COVID-19 antigen tests blast past original sales target

The company's bullish prospect for its rapid antigen test business comes as rivals like Abbott Laboratories and Quidel, which are more exposed to the U.S. market, fell short of expectations in the first quarter.

By Nick Paul Taylor • May 3, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

New medical devices are reshaping the medtech industry

From pulsed field ablation devices to glucose sensors and surgical robotics, new medical technologies are transforming patient care and how people manage their health.

By MedTech Dive staff

Illumina sues European Commission to block competition probe into Grail buyout

The EU probe is the latest glitch in the takeover bid, which was panned by Wall Street and also faces scrutiny from the FTC. Analysts have said Exact Sciences could benefit from delays.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 30, 2021

Hologic, Thermo Fisher cautious on COVID-19 test demand as vaccines roll out

Hologic CEO Stephen MacMillan told investors late Wednesday demand has fallen significantly since January amid vaccinations. Both companies expect recent M&A to be a crucial part of post-pandemic strategies.

By Greg Slabodkin • April 29, 2021

CMS pitches extra year of add-on payments for Boston Scientific, Stryker, other devices

Boston Scientific's Eluvia drug-eluting stent, Cook Medical's Hemospray and Stryker's SpineJack system are among those that would get the extension under the proposed fiscal 2022 inpatient hospital rule.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 28, 2021

Abbott, Quest look to post-pandemic home testing beyond COVID-19

With development of at-home coronavirus tests, the companies see opportunities for over-the-counter and direct-to-consumer diagnostics for other diseases and conditions, from respiratory ailments to cancer.

By Greg Slabodkin • April 27, 2021

GE Healthcare grows sales as routine screening, elective procedures return

The results provide further evidence that the resumption of elective procedures has driven up demand for imaging and other healthcare products and services. GE saw volumes return for cardiac, oncology and neurology screening.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 27, 2021

Quidel shakes Wall Street with bearish COVID-19 test forecast

The company late Thursday pre-announced first-quarter revenue nearly $100 million below analyst expectations, with Craig-Hallum's Alex Nowak now calling the business unforecastable.

By Greg Slabodkin • April 23, 2021

Science groups urge caution against using certain COVID-19 test data

The Association for Molecular Pathology and the Infectious Diseases Society of America say relying on cycle threshold (Ct) values runs the risk of being misinterpreted due to a lack of standardization across test methods.

By Susan Kelly • April 23, 2021

Quest Q1 revenue jumps 49% even as COVID-19 test demand wanes

CEO Steve Rusckowski told investors Thursday the lab giant's routine business continued its recovery to near pre-pandemic levels, helping offset coronavirus diagnostics coming in below estimates.

By Greg Slabodkin • April 22, 2021

Roundup: Medtech earnings show early signs of electives return, lingering testing uncertainty

The industry is reporting an elective care rebound in March after volumes dropped in the winter, while COVID-19 test demand appears to be softening as vaccination numbers grow.

April 22, 2021

Roche sees strong Q1 sales in COVID-19 tests, routine diagnostics

Roche Diagnostics CEO Thomas Schinecker predicted second-quarter coronavirus sales would also be healthy, continuing into the third quarter.

By Greg Slabodkin • April 21, 2021

Abbott misses Wall Street as COVID-19 test sales softer than expected

CEO Robert Ford told investors on Tuesday that $1.8 billion in sales were from its rapid coronavirus testing platforms as he sees a shift to surveillance. But he acknowledged testing is "difficult to forecast right now." 

By Greg Slabodkin • April 20, 2021

FDA scraps Trump-era 510(k) exemption bid in scathing dissection of 'flawed' plan

The agency nixed the proposal, which HHS made without consulting FDA, after strong pushback from Baxter and digital health startups, among other stakeholders, as well as its own staff.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 16, 2021

Thermo Fisher to buy research contractor PPD for $17.4B

The deal comes months after a failed attempt by the company to acquire molecular diagnostics company Qiagen. 

By Kristin Jensen • April 15, 2021

6 medtechs to watch when earnings kick off next week

First quarter results from Abbott, Edwards, Intuitive, J&J, Quest and Roche will help reveal the pace of procedure recovery and if the coronavirus testing boom has legs despite the rollout of vaccines. 

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 15, 2021

Mid-sized medtechs hit hardest by pandemic, though sector seen resilient: poll

The survey of more than 1,600 industry professionals from Emergo by UL also found respondents are most bullish on tapping Asian markets.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 14, 2021

Lucira gets FDA nod for OTC molecular COVID-19 test

The emergency authorization adds to the competition with the agency clearing over-the-counter tests from Abbott and Cue Health in recent months. The $55 per kit price tag is much higher than Lucira's estimate earlier this year.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 13, 2021

Medtronic launches AI-based colonoscopy device in US on heels of FDA clearance

The medtech is the exclusive global distributor of Cosmo Pharmaceutical's GI Genius module, which has been granted De Novo clearance and is compatible with colonoscope video for identifying polyps and lesions. 

By Greg Slabodkin • April 12, 2021

Italy's DiaSorin buys Luminex in $1.8B deal for multiplex molecular testing assets

The takeover comes weeks after Roche agreed to pay $1.8 billion to buy GenMark Diagnostics for its multiplex testing capabilities. The two targets compete with BioFire and Quidel.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 12, 2021

Hologic pens $795M Mobidiag buyout to expand in acute care testing

Wall Street analysts cheered the move, with Evercore ISI writing "it fills a major hole in the company's armament." The deal marks Hologic's fourth pick-up of 2021, including the $230 million takeover of Biotheranostics in January.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 9, 2021

LumiraDx lands on Nasdaq via SPAC with aim to undercut Abbott on price

The COVID-19 test maker hopes to generate enough capital to pursue a point-of-care testing opportunity it values at $76 billion. It has a ways to go to deliver.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 8, 2021

FDA-medtech consortium offers strategy to boost patient engagement in clinical trials

The MDIC report, created by a working group including Exact Sciences and J&J, follows the agency's late 2019 draft guidance meant to increase the influence of patients in medical device clinical trial design. 

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 7, 2021

Fewer heart tests ordered for telehealth patients in pandemic

Research published in JAMA Network Open also found those using the virtual services were more likely to be Asian, Black or Hispanic.

By Susan Kelly • April 6, 2021

Invitae inks $200M Genosity buyout, lands $1.2B investment to expand genetic testing

The medical genetics company expects Genosity's capabilities to increase access to its cancer test and reduce turnaround time, while a sizable investment led by SoftBank will support growth initiatives.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 6, 2021