In a surprise move, Edwards Lifesciences Corp. and Medtronic reached an agreement this week to settle all outstanding patent litigation between the companies, including cases related to transcatheter heart valves. The agreement will result in the dismissal of all pending cases or appeals in courts and patent offices worldwide, and includes a provision that the parties will not litigate patent disputes with each other in the field of transcatheter valves for the eight-year duration of the agreement.

May 19, 2014 — St. Jude Medical announced that data presented during a late-breaking clinical trial session at the 2014 annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) found an association between adherence to remote monitoring with the Merlin remote monitoring system and a reduction in patient mortality.

May 16, 2014 — In a move to expand significantly its portfolio of solutions for peripheral interventions, Boston Scientific Corp. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the interventional division of Bayer AG for $415 million in cash, including fees for transitional services. The company expects to close the transaction in the second half of 2014, subject to customary closing conditions.

A study in The Journal of Experimental Medicine shows that I?B kinase ? (IKK?) functions in smooth muscle cells to regulate vascular inflammatory responses and atherosclerosis development.