Hospitals, docs pitch roadmap to keep essential surgeries going even with coronavirus surges

While many medtechs cast the worst of the pandemic's impact in the rearview mirror in recent financial reports, concerns from healthcare industry groups reflect a more nuanced picture. 

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 14, 2020

CMS seeks to ease rules on artificial heart, ventricular assist device coverage

Potential eligibility changes for advanced heart failure patients drew positive feedback from Abbott and Medtronic, while removal of a coverage with evidence development policy has been opposed by several cardiologist groups.

By Maria Rachal • Aug. 13, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from MedTech Dive

From haphazard layoffs at the Food and Drug Administration to the industry’s current IPO environment and tracking FDA-authorized AI devices, here is a collection of top stories from MedTech Dive.

By MedTech Dive staff

Watchdog again pushes CMS to add UDIs to claim forms

The HHS Office of Inspector General said that without a place to ask for device-specific information, it's difficult for the agency to track billions of dollars in costs related to failed devices.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 13, 2020

Coronavirus muddies FDA's trajectory on device warning letters

An agency official said going into 2020 that its devices center would be better equipped to use the compliance tool in a timely fashion. But a dry spell for on-site surveillance may undermine any noticeable rebound.

By Maria Rachal • Updated Aug. 12, 2020

Inari Medical revenue rises in 1st quarterly report since public debut

Specializing in clot-removal devices for pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, the medtech's CEO downplayed new competition in the space, claiming that only 2% of the $3.6 billion market is penetrated.

By Susan Kelly • Aug. 12, 2020

FDA posts Essure adverse events pulled from social media

The spreadsheet includes details of 53 deaths and 1,376 reports of serious injuries related to the controversial birth control implant but the agency is unsure if it contains duplicate reports. 

By Nick Paul Taylor • Updated Aug. 14, 2020

Medtronic to buy Companion Medical, adding connected insulin pen to diabetes unit

Building on tuck-in acquisitions to a business losing market share in recent years, the deal gives the medtech giant an FDA-cleared device for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes on multiple daily injection therapy.

By Greg Slabodkin • Aug. 11, 2020

Sientra claims market gains as breast implant sales rebound faster than rivals

AbbVie's Allergan and Establishment Labs saw deeper declines in second quarter financials. Sientra CEO Jeffrey Nugent boasted the company is "clearly taking share" from rivals and is hiring to meet demand.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 11, 2020

Struggling Senseonics allies with blood glucose monitoring giant Ascensia, taps much-needed $80M

Senseonics has failed to dent a market largely commanded by Abbott and Dexcom, despite having a product differentiated from its non-implantable competitors. Analysts believe the new commercialization pact will help.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 11, 2020

BD's FDA filing to update recalled Alaris pumps delayed by 6 months

The medtech planned to rectify the situation with FDA this year, but that schedule has slipped as it continues system testing and ongoing discussions with the agency. BD estimates remediation costs will total $200 million.

By Greg Slabodkin • Aug. 10, 2020

Notified bodies list for incoming EU regs hits 20 with designation of DQS for MDR

The 16 notified bodies now allowed to complete work under the Medical Device Regulation and the four OK'd under its In Vitro Diagnostic counterpart together meet the goal that authorities had hoped to achieve by the start of 2020.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 10, 2020

Healthcare gains jobs in July, but still down 800K from February

The latest report shows ambulatory, outpatient, and medical and diagnostic lab service jobs are creeping closer to last year's levels.

By Hailey Mensik • Aug. 7, 2020

Insulet tops Q2 forecasts, as diabetes tech resilient in wake of coronavirus

The number of new insulin pump users was halved in the quarter as COVID-19 reduced typical patient-doctor interactions, but the company kept its $1 billion revenue target for next year.

By Maria Rachal • Aug. 7, 2020

Acutus raises $159M in IPO, challenging medtech leaders for cardiac mapping market

The arrhythmia management company's transition is part of its strategy to crack a market already being fought over by medtech giants Abbott, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson and Medtronic.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 7, 2020

BD sales slide below expectations, as COVID-19 antigen test gains momentum

In the month since the launch of its antigen test, CEO Tom Polen said BD shipped more Veritor readers than in a typical year. Still, the medtech's stock fell 9% Thursday amid pressure on other business lines.

By Greg Slabodkin • Aug. 6, 2020

Nevro blasts past analyst consensus on rebound in pain procedures

The spinal cord stimulation device maker contends it picked up market share from rivals such as Abbott, Boston Scientific and Medtronic amid the pandemic.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Aug. 6, 2020

ResMed beats Street with ventilators driving revenue up 9%, but tailwinds ebbing

"While we are still working on current and future contracts with hospitals, as well as city and national health authorities for these ventilators, the volumes will be significantly lower in the September quarter," said CEO Mick Farrell.

By Greg Slabodkin • Aug. 5, 2020

NuVasive's spine robot sees delay, again

Amid COVID-19 constraints, the Pulse application may not be used in humans until 2022 in a spinal robotics market some analysts call significantly untapped.

By Maria Rachal • Aug. 5, 2020

Zimmer sees COVID-19 backlog worth up to $800M, aims to double Rosa robot volume by year's end

Like rival Stryker, new placements of the company's robot-assisted knee replacement systems had traction during a second quarter when deferral of elective procedures took away over a third of its typical total revenue.

By Maria Rachal • Aug. 4, 2020

Medtronic, in catch-up to Axonics, wins nod for rechargeable bladder and bowel control device

After leading the sacral neuromodulation market for two decades, Medtronic is defending its turf with FDA approval of a product it contends is 80% smaller than its current device and 50% smaller than Axonics' rechargeable system.

By Susan Kelly • Aug. 4, 2020

CMS proposes eliminating inpatient-only list, in potential boon for ASCs

The agency would begin by removing about 300 musculoskeletal-related services, which could further accelerate ambulatory surgery centers' important role as medtech customers.

By Shannon Muchmore • Aug. 4, 2020

Device maker Q2 reports show optimism on COVID-19 recovery, but flare-ups keep guidance at bay

Since March and April lows, business volume has improved sequentially. Still, many medtechs are tightlipped on what that may mean for financial performance for the rest of the year.

By Maria Rachal • Aug. 3, 2020

House panel asks IG to investigate Trump admin bungling of Philips ventilator deal

The Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy on Thursday sent a letter to the acting inspector general requesting a probe into findings that HHS overpaid by $500 million in a contract negotiated with the Dutch medtech. 

By Susan Kelly • Updated Aug. 7, 2020

Varian sold to Siemens Healthineers in $16.4B all-cash deal

Breaking with a trend of smaller medtech deal values in 2020, the pact will see radiation oncology equipment and software maker Varian Medical Systems operate as an independent company under Siemens Healthineers.

By Maria Rachal • Updated Aug. 3, 2020

Stryker sales slump 24% on elective surgery hits, but Mako robot demand a 'pleasant surprise'

Looking to the third quarter, "we expect the recovery to continue, but do not expect it to be linear, while local governments deal with varying degrees of resurgences," CEO Kevin Lobo said on an earnings call Thursday. 

By Maria Rachal • July 31, 2020