MPO’s Most-Read Stories This Week—May 4

M&A was front and center on the MPO website this past week.

Cybervisitors gravitated to deals orchestrated by Medline, Hologic, and Radformation. The favorite among the three was Medline’s bid for Ecolab’s global surgical solutions business, including the firm’s Microtek product lines. The acquisition adds sterile drape solutions for surgeons, patients, and operating room equipment as well as a fluid temperature management system to Medline’s portfolio.
 
Hologic’s $310 million purchase of Endomagnetics generated significant pageviews as well. A privately-held developer of breast cancer surgery technologies, Cambridge, U.K.-based Endomagnetics offers breast surgery localization and lymphatic tracing technologies. Its portfolio includes the Magseed marker to magnetically localize tissue prior to surgery and the Magtrace lymphatic tracing injectable for breast cancer staging as well as the Sentimag platform, which supports localization and lymphatic tracing.
 
Radformation followed suit by announcing its intent to buy Limbus AI, a provider of automated contouring software for radiation therapy. The acquisition unites two strong clinical treatment planning forces, as Radformation markets eight products used in more than 1,600 clinics in 28 countries, and Limbus touts significant impact on 500,000 patients across 500 centers worldwide.

Despite all the deal-making devotion, however, M&A announcements took a back seat to news about an alternative treatment for mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A study conducted by Signifier Medical Technologies LLC reportedly shows the cost effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for treating mild OSA. Study results indicated that depending on long-term adherence, NMES may be preferred over CPAP therapy, suggesting this alternative treatment approach could provide a valuable and more accessible option for individuals with mild OSA. Non-invasive NMES therapy allows patients to complete a session for just 20 minutes during the day, offering them the freedom to breathe naturally, all night long, on their own.

Not surprisingly, Philips and its CPAP-related recall troubles also drove website traffic this past week. The company’s long recall nightmare continues to garner public interest, though it may be close to ending: It disclosed a $1.1 billion deal to resolve legal claims tied to its recalled breathing machines; payments are expected to begin next year. 

1. Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation May Be Cost-Effective Treatment for Mild OSA

2. Medline to Acquire Ecolab’s Surgical Solutions Biz

3. Hologic to Buy Endomagnetics for $310 Million

4. Radformation Buys Limbus AI to Boost Cancer Care Solutions

5. Philips Reaches $1.1B U.S. Settlement Over Recalled Respiratory Devices