Medtronic acquires Jolife
The medtech giant Medtronic has acquired the Swedish Lund-based company Jolife. Jolife was founded in 2000 and develops and manufactures the LUCAS® Chest Compression System, a medical device for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Jolife’s vision is to save more lives and to increase the quality of life of sudden cardiac arrest victims. Jolife employs 21 people.
“Physio-Control has a strategy to proactively develop and acquire innovative technologies that expand the range of tools and solutions available to our medical emergency response customers,” said Physio-Control Medtronic President Brian Webster. “The Jolife acquisition is fully aligned with that strategy.”
DAKO and Epitomics enter strategic alliance
The two companies have entered into a strategic alliance on developing and launching state-of-the-art IHC diagnostic monoclonal antibodies. The collaboration will allow the companies to unite competencies to provide the Anatomic Pathology market with antibodies.
“Dako is on a mission to fight cancer. We are therefore very pleased to announce this strategic alliance that will combine the competencies of Dako and Epitomics to establish the optimal portfolio of very high quality rabbit monoclonal antibodies to be used in diagnosing cancer and in developing predictive assays to the benefit of cancer patients all over the world,” says Lars Holmkvist, CEO of Dako Denmark A/S.
“The strategic alliance with Dako is an important endorsement of RabMAbs in the field of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for anatomic pathology - a rapidly growing market. In recent years Epitomics has accumulated a collection of companion diagnostics antibodies in the field of pathology. This alliance will take us to the next level,” says Dr. Guo-Liang Yu, President and CEO of Epitomics, Inc.
Besides the development and launch of new monoclonal antibodies the strategic alliance between Dako and Epitomics also includes a technology transfer from Epitomic’s to Dako’s facilities.
Aerocrine acquires technology platform and intellectual property
Aerocrine has announced the acquisition of key assets related to the measurement of FENO from the German company FILT Lungen & Thoraxdiagnostik. The two companies will collaborate to develop new applications for airway inflammation monitoring and FILT will cease further commercialization of the NO VARIO product.
"The technology platform and intellectual property acquired from FILT may prove valuable for our continued endeavors to further develop innovative products to measure airway inflammation", says Paul de Potocki, CEO of Aerocrine. "We look forward to working together with FILT and its General Manager, Mr. Rüdiger Eichler, who brings considerable technical expertise in the field."
"It requires significant resources to develop the technology and the international clinical documentation for products used in a major therapeutic area such as asthma. Aerocrine is the market leader and the ideal partner for FILT related to airway inflammation monitoring," says Mr. Eichler.
Following the consummation of the agreements, Aerocrine will cause appropriate papers to be filed in the Regional Court of Düsseldorf to withdraw its pending claims of patent infringement against FILT.
Consent for a common EU patent system
The European Parliament has given its consent for a common EU patent system to be created using the enhanced cooperation procedure. In December 2010, twelve Member States made a request to launch such a procedure, after it was concluded that not all the Member States could agree on an EU-wide patent system. All the other Member States except Italy and Spain have since indicated they will sign up to the procedure.
These two countries can still join in at any time if they wish. Parliament gave its backing today for the procedure to go ahead by 471 votes to 160, with 42 abstentions. The Council of Competitiveness Ministers is expected to formally adopt the decision authorizing enhanced cooperation on 9-10 March. A unitary patent system, abolishing differences between Member States over patent rights, would make it easier and cheaper for inventors to protect their patents throughout the EU, help tackle infringements and create a level playing field for Europe’s innovative businesses.
Q-Med to delist from Stockholm bourse after takeover by Galderma
The Swedish company Q-Med announced it will apply to delist from Nasdaq OMX Nordic exchange in Stockholm after a successful takeover offer by Swiss player Galderma Pharma.
Galderma, which is a joint venture of Nestle and L'Oreal, offered in December 2010 to pay SEK 75 (USD 11.90/EUR 8.53) per Q-Med share to all shareholders except the main owner, Lyftet Holding BV, which had already accepted an offer of SEK 58.94 per share plus SEK 16.03 to be paid later on achieving certain milestones.
In February, the bid price was increased to SEK 79. After the extended acceptance period expired on February 24, Galderma now controls more than 90% of Q-Med and plans to squeeze out the minority shareholders.
Q-Med will announce the last day of trading for its shares after its delisting application has been approved byNasdaq OMX. The Swedish company is due to hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on March 28, when a new board will be elected.
Photo of Bengt Ågerup, founder of Q-Med.
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