Baxter International Inc. continuing partnership with the World Federation of Hemophilia

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--In recognition of the 20^th anniversary of World Hemophilia Day, Baxter International Inc., in its continuing partnership with the World Federation of Hemophilia, today announced the availability of the “Together, We Care” video podcast (available at www.wfh.org/whd) to help raise awareness of the vital role of comprehensive care in hemophilia management and to call attention to disparities in care around the world. While research shows that comprehensive care reduces risk of death among hemophilia patients by 40 percent, tragically, only about 25 percent of all people living with hemophilia receive adequate treatment.^1,2

“Baxter is proud to contribute resources such as the ‘Together, We Care’ video podcast to encourage a global dialogue around these issues with the goal of improving the standard of care for all people living with hemophilia.”

“Hemophilia is serious, and can be life-threatening, but with a comprehensive care management approach, including treatment and care from a team of healthcare professionals, people with hemophilia can live longer, healthier lives,” said Mark Skinner, president, World Federation of Hemophilia. “We are grateful to Baxter for its support of the ‘Together, We Care’ video podcast, an important educational tool to help ensure that all patients with a bleeding disorder, regardless of where they live in the world, have access to proper management, care and treatment.”

The video podcast provides a forum for the World Federation of Hemophilia’s National Member Organizations, Baxter employees and community members worldwide to help advocate for local care of people living with hemophilia. It spotlights the importance of comprehensive care teams in improving these individuals’ lives through the perspectives of the patient, physician, nurse coordinator and advocacy group representative. The video podcast also builds on Baxter’s long-standing commitment to initiatives aimed at improving access for bleeding disorder patients.

CPC OF AMERICA INC

Below are edited highlights of CPC's 10-Q/A. 

To date, our activities have included the market analysis and development of our MedClose device and counterpulsation units and the raising of development and working capital. We have developed and prepared for market our counterpulsation units, including a stand-alone unit known as the CPCA 2000. In March 2003, we received FDA clearance to market the CPCA 2000 counterpulsation unit as a Class III medical device. We are also engaged in the business of developing a patented internal puncture closure device and technique known as "MedClose". We have not commenced revenue producing operations...........As previously disclosed in our reports filed with the SEC, in April 2007 we received a warning letter from the FDA which expressed, among other things, that:

· The FDA believed the MedClose device was a significant risk device and not eligible for investigation in the U.S. without an IDE approved by the FDA;

· We had violated IDE regulations governing the proper conduct of clinical studies, including our failure to provide the U.S. reviewing institutional review board's and clinical review site with information they needed to conduct the clinical investigation properly;

· We failed to provide accurate information about the investigations to the FDA and failed to provide to the FDA staff access to the sites pertaining to the MedClose; and

· We provide to the FDA certain information and records concerning our clinical studies.

We disagreed with the claims made by the FDA and filed an appropriate response with the agency. Meanwhile, we suspended human clinical investigations of the MedClose device in the U.S. pending further discussions with the FDA. During the remainder of 2007 and the first part of 2008, we engaged in an ongoing dialogue with the FDA for purposes of addressing its concerns and explaining our positions taken. On May 23, 2008, the FDA advised us by letter that our responses were satisfactory and that no further response to the FDA's warning letter was required. Based on the FDA's letter dated May 23, 2008 and subsequent written correspondence and discussions with the FDA staff, we believe the matter to be closed with no prospect of fine or penalty by the FDA. We also believe that we have addressed substantially all of the FDA's concerns over our human clinical trials and we expect to resume human clinical trials in the United States subject to the FDA's review and approval of our investigative device exemption (IDE) application. We submitted an IDE application to the FDA on November 30, 2007, which, if approved, will facilitate a continuance of the US clinical trials that were suspended by us in November 2006. In December 2007, the FDA responded to our IDE application with a disapproval letter. We have since filed three IDE supplements to address deficiencies cited by the FDA, the third of these was submitted on September 5, 2008. On October 8, 2008, the FDA responded to our third supplemental filing with two cited deficiencies. We are presently preparing a fourth supplemental filing for purposes of addressing the FDA's remaining comments. We estimate that the costs of conducting and completing clinical studies of the MedClose device to be between $178,000 to $430,000. We believe that we have sufficient working capital on hand to complete clinical studies. We intend to analyze our options for moving forward with the commercial exploitation of the MedClose, including licensing or sale of the product and our manufacture, marketing and sale of the product directly. If we pursue the manufacture or marketing of the MedClose product, we will, in all likelihood require significant additional capital. In that event we will endeavor to acquire the necessary working capital from the sale of our securities. However, there can be no assurance we will be able to obtain the required additional working capital on commercially reasonable terms or at all...........However, there are no agreements or understandings with any third parties at this time for our receipt of additional working capital and there can be no guarantee that such funds will be available on commercially reasonable terms, if at all. If we are unable to access additional capital on a timely basis, we will be unable to expand or continue our development of the MedClose device and our operating results will be adversely affected..... Full story HERE

Department of Defense Awards CryoLife $1.7 million to Develop BioFoam Hemostatic Technology

CryoLife, Inc., (NYSE: CRY) an implantable biological medical device and tissue processing company, today announced it has been awarded approximately $1.7 million under the Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations Bill to continue further development of CryoLife's protein hydrogel technology. Preclinical studies of CryoLife's BioFoam(R) Surgical Matrix, a protein hydrogel product under development for organ sealing, are nearing completion. This grant will help fund upcoming clinical studies of BioFoam in the United States. In December 2008, CryoLife received conditional approval from the FDA to conduct the feasibility phase of the Company's BioFoam IDE submission for liver parenchyma sealing. Before beginning the feasibility study, the Company must receive final approval of the study protocol and related documents from the FDA and an additional approval of the same from the U.S. Department of Defense. The Company is in the final review process with the Department of Defense. The Company also filed a CE Mark submission with its Notified Body in December 2008 for BioFoam's use as an adjunct in the sealing of abdominal parenchymal tissues (liver and spleen) when cessation of bleeding by ligature or other conventional methods is ineffective or impractical. The Company also continues to conduct preclinical research with BioFoam for use in wound sealing in trauma surgery. "Over the past four fiscal years the DoD has allocated a total of approximately $5.4 million to CryoLife for the development of protein hydrogel products," said Steven G. Anderson, CryoLife president and chief executive officer. "We are excited about advancing this product through the clinical process.BioFoam, a protein hydrogel biomaterial under development by CryoLife, contains an expansion agent which generates a mixed-cell foam. The foam creates a mechanical barrier to decrease blood flow and minimize pores for the blood to enter, leading to cellular aggregation and enhanced hemostasis. It is easily applied and could potentially be used intraoperatively to control internal organ hemorrhage, limit blood loss, and reduce the need for future operations in liver resections. BioFoam is based on the same technology as BioGlue(R), a CryoLife product approved by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration to control bleeding as an adjunct to sutures and staples in open surgical repair of large vessels. BioGlue is also CE marked in the European Community and approved in Canada and Australia for use in soft tissue repair.

JnJ release Q1 results - edited

We completed our acquisition of Mentor Corporation at the end of January and we are moving full speed ahead on integration of Mentor and Omrix Biopharmaceuticals within our Ethicon Surgical business. We are making progress with the integration of health media and human performance institute as we advance our new wellness and prevention platform. This business is now being reported as part of the Consumer segments financial results. These and our other acquisitions like Dabao Cosmetics and SurgRX are adding important sales and growth opportunities to our business but I would remind you that this quarter and the years results will also reflect the divestiture of our professional wound care business which was sold in the fourth quarter of 2008. Ethicon worldwide sales grew operationally by 9.1% with the US up 18.8% and sales outside the US up 3.7% operationally. The acquisitions of Mentor and Omrix offset by the divestiture of the professional wound care business added approximately two points to the worldwide growth. Sales in the US on a pro-forma basis for our newly acquired aesthetics products from Mentor although lower then 2008 performed better then the estimated market. Strong double digit growth was achieved in meshes and bio-surgical.