Medtronic eyes lead-less heart devices (Weekend Rounds)

Here are some of the top stories at MedCity News this week:

Medtronic eyes lead-less heart devices. Medtronic Inc. is quietly working on plans to develop a pacemaker that can deliver electricity to the heart without wires. The company in Fridley, Minnesota, confirmed to MedCity News that it’s building a lead-less pacemaker but offered no further details on the device.

Medical device Launch Pad? One week after MedCity News reported that University Enterprise Laboratories and the University of Minnesota’s medical device fellowship program were close to a deal to establish MDC Launch Pad, an incubator for companies created by the fellows, the university’s top technology transfer official is opposing the project.

Radiation therapy firm grabs $20M. ViewRay Inc., which is developing MRI-based technology to deliver radiation therapy to cancer patients, has secured a $20 million Series C funding round. The company will use the money for product development, the first few installations of its technology and to beef up its sales and marketing efforts.

AtriCure settles mis-marketing claims. West Chester, Ohio’s AtriCure Inc. has agreed to pay $2.8 million to settle a class-action shareholder lawsuit that stems from claims it promoted its surgical cardiac ablation devices for the unapproved use of treating atrial fibrillation.

Cardiac Concepts raises money for sleep apnea device. Cardiac Concepts Inc. in Minnetonka, Minnesota, has raised $27.2 million to help develop its pacemaker-like device that uses electricity to treat sleeping disorders.