Noteworthy news from medtech start-ups. This month we profile CardioPolymers Inc., which is developing a highly purified form of seaweed that, when implanted into the heart, has the potential to stop or even reverse the progression of congestive heart failure. We also profile Aura Medsystems, which is developing photodynamic soft-tissue repair technology.

TheraCardia has a portfolio of natural biopolymers that it will develop for stents; initially, for stent coatings, and soon, a bioabsorbable stent that avoids inflammation and contributes to endothelization, without the need for a drug. Surgeon-founded Aragon Surgical will develop a platform of products to make surgeries faster and safer. Intelect Medical is developing new neurostimulation devices that, it believes, offer advances over the devices of predecessors. It's initial target application is traumatic brain injury.

Having focused largely on the drug component of drug-eluting stents, most companies developing the next wave of bioabsorbable stents are working with the same biopolymers. Theracardia, however, begins life with a portfolio of novel biopolymers that inherently have the potential to avoid inflammation in the body, are bioabsorbable and can be engineered to achieve specific biological effects. The company is validating its platform in a stent biocoating in preparation for developing its own improved bioabsorbable stent, one that, it hopes, will promote rapid endothelialization and reduce restenosis without incorporating a drug.

Summarizing the month in European dealmaking.