MPO’s Most-Read Stories This Week—Sept. 3

MPO website visitors maintained their interest in old standbys this past week—M&A, personnel, and recalls.

The top traffic driver was news of Medtronic completing its deal for Affera. The acquisition allows the medical device giant to bolster its cardiac ablation portfolio with a cardiac navigation platform that includes a differentiated, fully integrated diagnostic, focal pulsed field (PF) and radiofrequency (RF) ablation solution. Medtronic began the deal for Affera in January this year. 

The other financial transaction attracting cybervisitors this past week was the Second Sight Medical Products-Nano Precision Medical merger finalization, six months after it was first announced. Nano Precision Medical develops miniaturized, subdermal drug implants via its Nano Portal tech to enable long-term, near constant-rate delivery. Second Sight also changed its name to Vivani Medical upon the merger’s completion.

Philips continued to drive website traffic with its recall woes: Its subsidiary, Philips Respironics, recalled certain bi-level positive airway pressure (Bilevel PAP, BiPAP, or BPAP) machines over a plastic that might be contaminated with a “non-compatible material.”  The plastic could release volatile organic compounds if it gets into the device’s motor, and it may also make the machine fail and suddenly stop working during use. There have been no reports (yet) of injury or death associated with the issue, according to FDA.
The recall is not associated with the PE-PUR foam issue impacting certain BiPAP machines recalled in June 2021.

Other news generating significant page views included an assessment of China’s medical device market, and iRhythm Technologies Inc.’s newest hires—Brice Bobzien (CFO) and Reyna Fernandez (executive vice president, chief Human Resources officer).

1. Medtronic Completes Deal for Affera

2. iRhythm Technologies Adds Two to its Executive Leadership Team

3. Philips Recalls Certain BiPAPs Due to Plastic Issue

4. China’s Medical Devices Market to Top $42B This Year

5. Second Sight Completes NPM Merger; Renames as Vivani