A Medical Device Daily

Biofield (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania), which develops and acquires noninvasive diagnostic medical devices to assist in detecting and preventing cancer and other illnesses, reported that it has acquired additional products for its portfolio of non-invasive cancer diagnostic products.

Specifically, Biofield has acquired the exclusive worldwide distribution rights outside of Belgium for ValiRx's (London) human papilloma virus (HPV) diagnostic test for cervical cancer, as well as for ValioRx's HyperGenomics and Nucleosomic cancer diagnostics products.

While the company's initial focus was on securing FDA approval to distribute its Biofield Diagnostic System (the BDS) for the early detection of breast cancer in the U.S., it has reoriented and expanded its energies to focus on offering non-invasive and cost effective technologies, on an easily accessible basis, to the world's largest population centers.

Biofield said it anticipates achieving its goal by generating sales of the BDS in foreign markets and acquiring other non-invasive detection and prevention technologies. The company is currently focusing on distributing its product portfolio in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia, Mexico, Latin America and Europe.

The company also opened an office in Bangalore, India, where it is has been preparing to begin marketing the oral herpes device pursuant to the exclusive worldwide distribution rights it acquired from NeuroMed (Vancouver, British Columbia). Biofield said it expects to begin marketing the device through a wholly owned Indian subsidiary, via direct web-based/Internet marketing, retail, wholesale and through physicians and hospitals within the next 30 days.

Nanogen (San Diego), a developer of molecular and rapid diagnostic products, reported that it has signed a licensing and supply agreement with Scandinavian Gene Synthesis (SGS; Koping, Sweden) for use of the company's proprietary MGB Probe technology and synthetic nucleic acid chemistries including dyes and quenchers for use in human in vitro diagnostic testing.

Under the licensing agreement, SGS will have rights to use its cGMP manufacturing capabilities to make and sell molecular diagnostic products incorporating the Nanogen molecular technology. Terms of the agreement include an upfront license fee and the commitment for Nanogen to supply component products for use by SGS in the design and manufacture of custom DNA oligonucleotides for the molecular IVD industry.

"The market for molecular diagnostics is growing at more than 20% per year," said David Ludvigson, Nanogen's president/COO. "We believe that making our MGB technology widely available as the components of choice for PCR based diagnostics will help to grow the market; and enabling quality cGMP manufacturers like SGS to supply the market is part of our business strategy."

In other dealmaking news:

• Home health nursing company Amedisys (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) reported the purchase of Arizona Home Rehabilitation and Health Care and Yuma Home Care (both Yuma, Arizona) for an undisclosed sum.

The agencies had annualized revenue for the nine-month period ended Sept. 30, 2008, of about $4.8 million, but is not expected to add materially to Amedisys' earnings in 2009.

• Mednax (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) reported that it has completed the acquisition of Arlington Neonatal Intensive Care (ANIC; Arlington, Texas), a neonatal group.

ANIC is a two-physician practice that staffs the Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, which has annual patient volume in excess of 5,000 NICU patient days.

Mednax paid cash for the Arlington practice, which is expected to contribute immediately to the company's earnings. No additional terms of the transaction were disclosed.

The physicians will practice as part of Mednax's Pediatrix Medical Group.

Pediatrix Medical Group includes neonatal physicians who provide services at more than 250 neonatal intensive care units, who collaborate with affiliated maternal-fetal medicine, pediatric cardiology and pediatric intensivist physician subspecialists to provide a clinical care continuum.