News Briefs (March 31, 2006)

Life sciences technology investor Acrongenomics Inc. of Geneva and London-based Molecular Vision Ltd. have agreed to combine research and development (R&D) efforts to produce a commercially viable line of low-cost, easy-to-use and on-the-spot diagnostic devices for diabetes, drug abuse, sexually transmitted diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Molecular Vision's diagnostic chips incorporate microfluidics and organic LEDs and photodetectors for medical testing. The company is a spin-off of Imperial Innovations Ltd., which commercializes technology -- including micro- and nanodevices, power electronics, renewable energy, mechanical tools, therapeutics, drug discovery and medical imaging and devices -- created at Imperial College London and other sources. . . . Medical technology developer Biophan Technologies Inc. of Rochester, N.Y., announced it intends to sign a joint R&D agreement between Siemens AG's Medical Solutions MRI Div. in Europe and Biophan Europe GmbH, designed to provide new solutions in the growing field of interventional MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) medicine and MRI-assisted minimally invasive surgeries. Biophan Europe provides solutions to enable effective MRI visualization of implanted medical devices, including heart valves, coronary and peripheral stents and vena cava filters. Siemens' MRI Div. has developed a new MRI scanning technology that could complement Biophan's R&D, the companies said. Currently, many implantable and surgical devices have metallic elements and can't be used with MRIs because of the powerful electromagnetic fields generated by MRI systems, the companies said. . . . Ed Teague has been named CEO of Bright View Technologies, a developer of microstructure-based optical films for the worldwide display market with headquarters in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Prior to joining Bright View, Teague was a vice president for semiconductor maker Cree. Before that, he was vice president of marketing and business strategy for the Electro Optics Div. of JDSU.