Femasys Inc. checked off a box on the way to launch of its Fembloc non-surgical birth control method with U.S. FDA clearance of Femchec. An enhanced version of the Femvue product used to diagnose fallopian tube abnormalities, Femchec enables confirmation of successful blockage of the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy without use of radiation.

Germitec SA received U.S. FDA de novo clearance for Chronos, its chemical-free, ultraviolet-C-based disinfection device for endocavitary and external ultrasound probes. The technology will help to protect patients and aid health care professionals in tackling cross-contaminations in U.S. hospitals, Vincent Gardès, CEO of Germitec, told BioWorld.

A Delaware chancery court decreed that Johnson & Johnson Inc. owes investors in Auris Health Inc. more than $1 billion over allegations that J&J had undercut Auris products after the 2019 acquisition of Auris. The outcome highlights the hazards of acquisitions of companies that are competitive in a particular product space, but a shift in FDA policy regarding robotic surgical systems may have also played a role in this outcome.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted a Sept. 6 statement regarding a cyber incident involving nearly 950,000 patient records held by a Medicare administrative contractor.

The FDA reported several class I recalls in the first week of September 2024, a list that includes products such as Medtronic plc’s McGrath line of laryngoscopes, some of which should be jettisoned.

Abbott Laboratories’ diabetes unit opened the month with a two-cannon salvo – a partnership with Beta Bionics Inc. that will integrate Abbott’s Freestyle Libre 3 Plus continuous glucose monitor with the Ilet Bionic Pancreas system and the roll out of its over-the-counter Lingo CGM in the U.S.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit shot down Planmeca’s argument that expert testimony provided by Osseo was disqualified because the expert was not a PHOSITA at the time the patented articles were developed, leaving Planmeca with a negative verdict in excess of $2 million.

Distinguishing between contract law and patent law, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against a Merck KGaA subsidiary, saying Ares Trading SA is still on the hook for paying royalties to a research partner through 2027 on sales of its cancer drug Bavencio (avelumab), a PD-L1 inhibitor granted accelerated approval in 2017 as a treatment for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

Litigation between companies in the med-tech space often revolves around patents, but the ongoing series of lawsuits between Philips Respironics Inc. and Soclean Inc. are directed toward the interaction between CPAP machines and CPAP cleaning systems.

The U.S. FDA is accused of dragging its feet on making public the devices for which it granted market access under the de novo program, and the agency recently been scrambling to bring these decision summaries to light.