Orthovita to Present at the Piper Jaffray 21st Annual Health Care Conference

Orthovita, Inc. (NASDAQ:VITA), an orthobiologics and biosurgery company, announced today that it will present at the Piper Jaffray 21st Annual Health Care Conference in New York City. Antony Koblish, chief executive officer of Orthovita, is scheduled to present on Wednesday, December 2nd, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time, at the New York Palace Hotel, 455 Madison Avenue, New York, New York. A live webcast of the presentation will be available, and can be accessed for 30 days following the conference, by visiting http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/confLobby.zhtml?ticker=***VITA&item_id=2539636.

Covidien Introduces First FDA-Approved Spine Sealant

NORTH HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced the launch of DuraSeal(TM) spine sealant, the first product approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for intra-operative sealing of the dural membrane during spine procedures. Nearly 1.5 million spine surgeries are performed in the U.S. every year, with an estimated 10% of these surgeries requiring dural repair and sealing. Tears in the dura the outermost membrane covering the brain and the spinal cord can result in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leaks after surgery, leading to possible medical complications and extended hospital stays. One recent study found that CSF leaks after spinal surgery are estimated to cost an average of $6,479 in additional expense, mainly due to longer hospital and intensive care unit stays.(1)
In a clinical study of more than 150 patients, DuraSeal spine sealant was shown to be superior at achieving an intra-operative watertight seal, compared with the control group, which consisted of conventional methods of dural closure such as sutures or fibrin sealants. DuraSeal spine sealant achieved an intra-operative watertight seal 100% of the time, compared with 64% of the time by the control group. The safety results between the two groups were similar, given the patients' medical conditions and the nature of the complex spinal procedures performed.(2)
The new sealant is a 100% synthetic hydrogel that provides excellent tissue adherence, is absorbed by the body and is easy to apply. Stored at room temperature, DuraSeal spine sealant takes only two minutes to prepare and three seconds to set, which enables surgeons to achieve an intra-operative dural seal quickly.
"DuraSeal is a great example of how we develop solutions at Covidien," said Dr. Michael Tarnoff, Chief Medical Affairs Officer, Surgical Devices, Covidien. "We observe the challenges that surgeons face in the operating room and work with the medical community to come up with innovative products that may optimize patient outcomes, can improve healthcare economics and are intuitive for surgeons and their teams to use."
The DuraSeal spine sealant system was introduced today at the North American Spine SocietyAnnual Meeting in San Francisco and last month at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in New Orleans. For further information, please visit www.durasealspine.com.
ABOUT COVIDIEN
Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence.Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2008 revenue of$10 billion, Covidien has more than 41,000 employees worldwide in 59 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about our business.

Sometimes only the Lawyers win.......ZymoGenetics says restraining orders lifted

ZymoGenetics Inc. said Friday that a federal judge in Tennessee has removed three temporary restraining orders imposed on the company over marketing and promotion of its lead drug, Recothrom.
The Seattle biotechnology company (NASDAQ: ZGEN) on Wednesday disclosed that it had been slapped with the restraining orders as part of a lawsuit filed by four companies, including rival King Pharmaceuticals Inc. The lawsuit accuses ZymoGenetics of unfair competition, false advertising, trademark infringement and related claims, ZymoGenetics said.
In a filing Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission, ZymoGenetics said the judge in Tennessee had vacated the restraining orders, which "have no further force or effect." The company did not elaborate, but said it disputes the lawsuit's allegations and intends to "vigorously defend" itself at a hearing in the case scheduled for Nov. 16.
ZymoGenetics on Thursday said third-quarter revenue increased 131 percent, to $8.5 million, from the same quarter a year ago, due to sales of Recothrom, a bleeding-control drug. The company narrowed its Q3 loss to $11.4 million, or 17 cents a share, from a loss of $28.8 million, or 42 cents a share, in the year-ago quarter.

King Pharmaceuticals Inc has sued ZymoGenetics Inc

Nov 4 (Reuters) - King Pharmaceuticals Inc has sued ZymoGenetics Inc seeking damages and injunctive relief, alleging trademark infringement among other things, and a U.S. court has temporarily restrained Zymogenetics from marketing a product, according to a regulatory filing.
ZymoGenetics said in the filing that the three temporary restraining orders (TROs), passed on Nov. 3 without hearing its side, were prohibiting it from engaging in certain marketing or promotional conducts related to Recothrom, its hemostasis aid.
ZymoGenetics said King, in the suit filed in a federal court in Tennessee, alleged Zymogenetics of engaging in unfair competition, false advertising, trademark infringement and other related claims.
"We are seeking immediate relief from the court to vacate the TROs, and we will seek an immediate hearing on this motion," ZymoGenetics said in the filing.
A hearing on King's motions for preliminary injunctive relief is scheduled for Nov. 16, and ZymoGenetics will oppose King's request for preliminary injunctive relief, it said.
"We currently believe that this litigation will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, our results of operation, or our cash flows," ZymoGenetics added.