Separate deals with Viiv Healthcare and gene therapy specialist Tocagen illustrate the increasing emphasis on application of multiple technologies toward the development of companion diagnostics, as pharma strives to determine how best to assure market access to its targeted drugs.

Brief summaries of recent medtech market and industry developments. This month we cover news from the TAVI space, ConforMIS’ customized knee implants, and Siemens’ recent companion diagnostic dealmaking.

Siemens has joined the ranks of companies offering services to pharma to develop companion diagnostics, with the concurrent announcements in February of separate deals with Viiv Healthcare and gene therapy specialist Tocagen. In different ways, the transactions illustrate the increasing emphasis on application of multiple technologies toward the development of companion diagnostics, as pharma strives to determine how best to assure market access to its targeted drugs.

Though Abraxane (paclitaxel) is now part of Celgene Corp.'s growing oncology portfolio, you don't need Celgene stock to invest in its newest product, a reformulation of the generic chemotherapy that's approved to treat metastatic breast cancer. As part of Celgene's cash-and-stock $2.9 billion acquisition of Abraxis BioScience Inc. Celgene deferred at least $650 million in potential payments to Abraxis shareholders, plus royalty payments tied to Abraxane sales. Unlike most earn-out-laden deals, however, the contingency value rights, or CVRs, for the earn-outs have been securitized and now trade under the ticker CELGZ. Despite potential advantages - tradeable CVRs let shareholders bet on the success or failure of specific assets, for instance - these investment vehicles are still a rarity in the marketplace.