Piper Jaffray Health Care Conference In Brief

Medtronic on Q4 ICD growth: Despite Guidant reporting only 12% U.S. ICD sales growth to $351 mil. in the fourth quarter, the domestic ICD market did not see a slow-down during the period in anticipation of CMS' final decision, published Jan. 27, on expanding coverage for the therapy, Medtronic claims in a Jan. 27 presentation at the Piper Jaffray Health Care Conference in New York. Medtronic had predicted the ICD market would continue to grow at 20% in Q4, ending the year at about $4.6 bil. "When we add up all the numbers, given what Guidant and St. Jude reported, and what we know Medtronic did, the market is still sitting within those parameters," according to Rachael Scherer, VP-investor relations. The firm will hold its year-end earnings call in mid-February...