F-star's novel bispecific technology attracts Sino Biopharma-affiliated acquisition, Shionogi agreement with GARDP brings antibiotic cefiderocol to 135 countries, deal with WinHealth covering Greater China expands Quoin’s licensing of Netherton syndrome candidate to 60 nations, Kyorin and CellGenTech team up in Fabry disease.

Sanofi’s iBGStar blood glucose monitor. ProUroCare’s prostate imaging system. Edwards Lifesciences’ ThruPort IntraClude intra-aortic occlusion device. More new products.

Last year saw a surprising number of investments in devices for urology but the development activity in this space should not be surprising, given that prostate disease-both prostate cancer and BPH-are diseases of aging, setting in after age 40 when hormonal changes may cause the prostate to enlarge. BPH, for example, affects more than 50% of men age 60 and older and 90% of men age 70 and older. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of carcinoma death in men. These demographic trends are reflected in the rapid growth in surgical procedures for the treatment of prostate disease, many of which are projected to grow at high double-digit rates in major global economies, according to a series of reports detailing surgical volumes and trends by country, published by the Medtech Insight division of Elsevier Business Intelligence.

This article was excerpted from "Top Device Stories of 2009: A Year of Economic Revival and Regulatory Risk," IN VIVO, January 2010.