Covidien : Definitive Agreement to Acquire superDimension, Ltd.

Mar. 19, 2012-- Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, announced a definitive agreement to acquire superDimension, Ltd., a private company based in Herzliya, Israel, that develops minimally invasive interventional pulmonology devices.

Covidien will acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of superDimension Ltd., for approximately $300 million, with future earn out payments possible. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of certain regulatory approvals, is expected to be completed in the second calendar quarter of 2012.



With annual sales of approximately $30 million, superDimension’s i·Logic™ System uses Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy® to provide minimally invasive access to lesions deep in the lungs as well as mediastinal lymph nodes. By extending the reach of conventional bronchoscopes, the i·Logic System facilitates more effective evaluation of lung lesions, potentially enabling safer, more effective tissue biopsies... Covidien's Press Release -

PhRMA : More Than 70 Medicines in Development for Asthma

March 5, 2012 — America’s biopharmaceutical research companies are developing 74 medicines to treat or prevent asthma, according to a report released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). All of the medicines are either in clinical trials or awaiting review by the Food and Drug Administration.

“Asthma is a lifelong disease that can limit a person’s quality of life and even lead to death, if not treated properly,” said PhRMA President and CEO John J. Castellani. “The good news is that potential treatments highlighted in this report offer asthma sufferers new hope of living a healthier, more productive lives.”

Asthma is a narrowing of the airways to the lungs caused by inflammation in the air passages, resulting from both genetic and environmental influences. Today, more than 24 million American adults and children suffer from asthma, with the prevalence increasing 12 percent in the last decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each day, 40,000 Americans miss school or work due to asthma, costing the U.S. economy an estimated $56 billion each year in direct and indirect costs... PhRMA's Press Release -