Product Development

Technology

What is the first FDA-approved cardiac stent specifically designed to grow and expand with infants and young children?

Technology

What implantable system was the first to university-developed medical device to receive FDA 510(k) clearance?

Gene Therapy Device Creates Personalized Nanomedicines On Demand

A new gene therapy delivery device could let hospital pharmacies make personalized nanomedicines to order. This democratized approach to precision medicine could revolutionize...

Burn, Freeze, Shock, or Shear: The Expanding Frontiers of Ablation Therapies

Ablation therapies have become indispensable in modern medicine, and their influence will only grow as innovation drives less-invasive, more-effective solutions. The next wave of advancements is likely to emerge from the convergence of technologies, leveraging engineering, biology, and clinical insights to overcome current limitations. Read on to learn more.

Inside the OEM: Boston Scientific to Focus on Cardiology Innovation

At a time when many medtech firms are grappling with regulatory headwinds, pricing pressures, and geopolitical disruptions, Boston Scientific is focused, aligned, and thriving. Read on to learn about the company’s growth in electrophysiology, strength in LAAC, disciplined margin expansion, and much more.

Paper-Based Diagnostic Provides Rapid Disease Detection

A paper-based diagnostic device can detect COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in under 10 minutes, without the need for sophisticated lab equipment or trained personnel. Read on to learn more about it.

AI-Powered Analysis of Stent Healing

A research team has developed DeepNeo, an AI-powered algorithm that automates the process of analyzing coronary stents after implantation. The tool matches medical expert accuracy while significantly reducing assessment time. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor: U.S. Tariffs Cast Shadow Over Promising Growth of Pulsed Field Ablation Devices

Tariff uncertainty adds another layer of complexity to an already fragmented global regulatory environment. With PFA currently approved in only a handful of markets, the U.S. remains critical to commercial viability. Read on to learn more about what Sherrie Trigg, Editor and Director of Medical Content, has to say about the matter.

Dental Floss Measures Stress, Other Cognitive States

Chronic stress can lead to increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, decreased immune function, depression, and anxiety. Unfortunately, the tools we use to monitor stress are often imprecise or expensive. Now a Tufts team has devised a simple device using specially designed floss that can easily and accurately measure cortisol, a stress hormone, in real time. Read on to learn more.

Technology

What implantable sensor system became the first FDA-cleared continuous glucose monitor designed to remain in the body for up to 90 days?

Wound Dressings Made of Drug-Releasing Polymers

Electrospinning has been used to produce polymer fibers containing the well-known antibacterial drug metronidazole. The mats formed could potentially be used as wound dressings, thanks to an...

Genetic Delivery System Targets Lungs to Treat Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis

Scientists have made a key breakthrough for treating respiratory diseases by developing a new drug-delivery system that transports genetic therapies directly to the...

Ultra Selective Aptamers Bind to Specific Molecules

Inspired by the way viruses attach to cells, scientists have developed a method for engineering ultra-selective aptamers. These synthetic molecules bind to specific targets like viral...

Flexible Hydrogel Could Improve Drug Delivery for Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis Treatment

Researchers have created a new hydrogel to improve drug delivery for treating post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). The hydrogel, which is designed to...

The Growing Connectivity Dimensions in Medical Technology

The lack of compatibility between high electrical and highly dynamic requirements in cable design is not solved but taken to a new level with medical megatrends such as AI, robotics, and miniaturization together with indispensable sustainability and safety demands. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor - Welcome to the Inaugural Medical Design Briefs Resource Guide

As the pace of innovation accelerates across the medical device industry, staying informed on core technologies and market trends is more important than ever. With that in mind, we are proud to introduce the 2025 summer edition of the Medical Design Briefs Resource Guide — a new, semi-annual issue designed to deliver essential insights into the components, materials, and services that power medical device development and manufacturing. Read on to learn more.

Regulatory

In May 2004, FDA issued a guidance document that reclassified certain dental implants from Class III to Class II, thereby reducing regulatory burdens while maintaining safety standards. What type of dental implants were...

Tariffs Are Now a Strategic Variable: How MedTech Manufacturers Are Splitting Their Response

The Trump administration’s 2025 trade policy has presented a challenge for U.S. medical device manufacturers: how to respond to escalating tariffs on...

Technology

In April 2004, FDA approved what kind of system allows to treat epilepsy?

Scientists Develop ‘Smart Pajamas’ to Monitor Sleep Disorders

Researchers have developed comfortable, washable smart pajamas that can monitor sleep disorders such as sleep apnea at home, without the need for sticky patches, cumbersome equipment or a visit to a specialist sleep clinic. Read on to learn more.

Technology

March 3rd is recognized as World Hearing Day. One of the most significant medical device innovations for hearing impairment is the cochlear implant. In what year was the first commercially available multi-channel cochlear implant...

Portable, Blood-Based Device Detects Colon Cancer

Screening methods for the cancer can be unreliable and result in false positives. To remedy this problem, scientists are developing a less-invasive portable device that would use blood...

Guest Editorial: The Power of One When Choosing Stent and Catheter Partners

As device designs become increasingly sophisticated, medtech companies are understandably seeking contract design and manufacturing partners that can accompany them on...

Women Pioneers in Medtech: Innovators Who Have Transformed Healthcare

This article highlights four remarkable women — Dr. Patricia Bath, Rosalind Franklin, Dr. Helen Free, and Dr. Marie Curie — whose pioneering work has shaped modern medicine and continues to inspire future generations. Read on to learn more about them.

Low-Cost Laparoscope Designed for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Despite its advantages, laparoscopic surgery remains largely inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to the high cost of equipment and other logistical challenges. To bridge this gap, researchers recently developed the KeyScope, an affordable laparoscope designed specifically for LMICs. Read on to learn more.

Cardiology

In 1952, what device was successfully implanted in a human, making medical history?

A Tapeworm-Inspired, Tissue-Anchoring Mechanism for Medical Devices

A new interdisciplinary effort led by Robert Wood, the Harry Lewis and Marlyn McGrath Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and James Weaver, of Harvard’s Wyss Institute, has drawn inspiration from an unexpected source: the world of parasites. Read on to learn more.

Technology

In 2012, what technology that is ubiquitous in our everyday lives was used to recognize and measure DNA concentration?

A Tabletop Robot May Revolutionize Physical Therapy Delivery

Mohammad Habibur (Habib) Rahman, Director of the BioRobotics Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and his team have been developing a portable, assistive robotic arm that therapists can use to assess and treat patients whether or not they are not in the same location.