Edwards Lifesciences Corp. has won the FDA’s nod for its Acumen hypotension prediction index (HPI) software with the Acumen IQ finger cuff. Prior to receiving this 510(k) clearance, the low blood pressure prediction software was only available for patients using an invasive arterial line. The Acumen HPI software uses data gleaned from the Acumen IQ cuff, along with machine learning, to alert clinicians if a patient is at risk of hypotension, drops in pumping pressure that reduce the flow of oxygenated blood and nutrients to the body’s vital organs.

Medical devices have had to deal with a large body of uncertainty where patent protection is concerned, thanks principally to jurisprudence arising out of the Supreme Court. However, Mark Mansour, a regulatory attorney with the D.C. office of Dykema Gossett PLLC, said on a recent webinar that even in the absence of a patent, de novo devices can gain some market exclusivity with smart use of labeling, a practice that can help ensure that the developer can achieve the needed return on investment.

Motus GI Holdings Inc. received FDA 510(k) clearance to use its Pure-Vu system in upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, expanding the system’s indications from use only in colonoscopies. Pure-Vu removes blood, blood clots and debris from the GI tract, allowing endoscopists to see sources of bleeding and other issues while leaving the endoscope's working channel available for other uses.

Additive manufacturing, often referred to as 3D printing, has evolved considerably over the past few decades, and plays a significant role in the world of orthopedic devices. Despite numerous technological advances, additive manufacturing (AM) still accounts for a small share of the device market and may never overwhelm traditional manufacturing for the med-tech industry due to a number of limitations.

My01 Inc. has received FDA clearance for its My01 Continuous Compartmental Pressure Monitor with full Bluetooth capabilities. The device is intended to help doctors diagnose and avert the risks of developing compartment syndrome, a potentially devastating complication of certain fractures and trauma injuries.

Molli Surgical Inc. has won the FDA’s nod for its wire-free localization technology for breast cancer surgery. The company said the Molli system helps radiologists tag cancerous lesions quickly and precisely, facilitating surgical excision and eliminating a source of anxiety associated with breast tumor removal.

Atricure Inc. has received the green light from the FDA for its Epi-Sense guided coagulation system with Visitrax technology to treat patients diagnosed with long-standing, persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). The device was previously cleared via a 510(k) for the coagulation of cardiac tissue, and is already available in the U.S. The FDA approval represents the first and only minimally invasive ablation therapy for the more than 3 million Americans with longstanding AF.

The FDA’s premarket review mechanisms for class II medical devices may strike some as little more than so much regulatory esoterica, and several courts have ruled that information about the 510(k) process is inadmissible during jury trials due to the possibility of sowing confusion among jurors. An appellate court in New Jersey has ruled that such an exclusion of evidence is prejudicial in a case involving surgical mesh manufactured by two device companies, however, opening a larger debate about the propriety of such exclusions in product liability litigation for medical devices.

Depression treatment still isn’t “once and done,” but the time needed to reduce symptoms continues to drop for patients using electromagnetic stimulation. Brainsway Ltd.’s Theta Burst brings treatment times down to just three minutes with its FDA 510(k) clearance.

The FDA has approved Roche AG’s Ventana MMR Rxdx panel for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. The companion diagnostic is the first to identify patients who are eligible for treatment with Glaxosmithkline plc’s (GSK’s) Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly) monotherapy. The PD-1 antibody immunotherapy received FDA approval on Thursday.