Medical Device Law Weekly

AstraZeneca - IRESSA (gefitinib) added to ASCO practice guidelines

Avalon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Pharmaceutical company discovers prostate cancer biomarker

Avian Influenza - New Zealand authorities make avian influenza a notifiable disease

Bayer HealthCare, LLC - Axeda DRM software licensed for proactive remote service

Baylor College of Medicine - Promotions increase vending sales of low-fat items in teachers' lounges

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. - Marketing agreement signed for promotion of aspergillus test

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Orphan drug designation granted by FDA for BCX-1777

BioLife Solutions, Inc. - Supply agreement signed with Hepatotech for preservation solutions

BioMicro Systems - New dual chamber MAUI Mixer launched for microarray hybridization

BioReliance Corp. - Invitrogen announces expiration of its cash tender offer

Biophan Technologies, Inc. - Nanotechnology coatings completes first round of financing

Biosite Incorporated - Deal signed with Amylin Pharmaceuticals to develop Omniclonal antibodies

Blood Shortage - Greece to launch blood donation drive preparing for Olympics

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts - Small HMO that serves poor in Massachusetts gets help from larger rival

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan - Michigan insurer offers gay couples benefits option

Boehringer Ingelheim - FDA approves Spiriva HandiHaler

Boston Scientific Corporation - Inspection of drug-eluting stent facility completed; finances reported

Boston University - Restaurant smoking bans more likely in affluent neighborhoods

Business & Finance - Cigna outlines new direction, reports 4Q results

Business & Finance - Missouri senator calls for cost-of-living raises to offset healthcare costs

Business & Finance - Rural pharmacies say insurers squeezing them out of business

Cancer - New web site provides online support for teens with cancer

Cancer Research U.K. - Discrepancies in long-term care of childhood cancer survivors exposed

Catholic University of Leuven - Bayesian inference used to clarify evolutionary relationship of HIV, SIV

Cell Genesys, Inc. - Adeno-associated virus encoded for factor IX ameliorates hemophilia B in vivo

Cellegy Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Anal fissure drug maker announces investment by SJ Strategic Investments

Celsion Corp. - ThermoDox study expanded; FDA allows two amendments

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - 2003 Outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Beijing summarized

Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - Gender differences exist in mutual gaze behavior in young infants

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - Spending growth projected to nearly double in the next decade

Centrex, Inc. - Nucleic acid detection technology developer forms subsidiary

Children's Hospital, Boston - Increased cholesterol in prostate tumor cell membranes may be linked to cancer

Christian Medical College & Hospital - Fine needle aspiration is effective as a diagnostic tool in chronic tonsillitis

Chromos Molecular Systems - Biotech companies sign licensing deal for protein therapeutics development