Starts & Stops: ICS' Emblok Medtronic's Arctic Front, Abbott's Absorb, Boston Scientific's S-ICD

Freenome plans to file for US FDA approval of its blood-based screening test for colorectal cancer mid-year. If cleared, the test would rival Guardant Health’s Shield, the first FDA-cleared blood test for primary screening of colorectal cancer. Exact Sciences is also in the race to bring a blood-based colorectal screening test to market.

A concealed blunt-tip needle that can be inserted into the heart's pericardial space to treat cardiac arrhythmias has received FDA clearance, providing an alternative to catheter-based methods.

Health tech is at the forefront of the women's health sector, securing 38% of venture capital in 2024. However, panelists at the Anglonordic Life Science Conference held 3 April asserted that a successful therapeutic breakthrough is key to gaining investor confidence and accelerating venture capital.

Abbott presented late-breaking data at the 2025 American College of Cardiology conference demonstrating that TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair offers prolonged patient benefits compared to medical treatment alone after two years, which were not evident at one year.