Kiger's Notebook

Rushford nanotech biz to double on size

A small business – Rushford Hypersonic – gets bigger.

Here's a little (heh) from a press release that rolled out this morning about Hypersonic's expansion plans. Look for more on this in print from Sarah Doty:

Rushford Hypersonic LLC, the world’s only commercial producer of Hypersonic Plasma Particle Deposition nanotechnology coatings announced that they are expanding their facility square footage. The expansion comes exactly one year after their April 2008 facility opening. The additional floor space multiplies their original space by 2.5 times 

and was needed to accommodate the recent doubling in staff over the last six months. 

Rushford Hypersonic required more production, laboratory, and office space for recent and anticipated growth as production gets underway. The conversion of the industrial warehouse into a high tech production facility is expected to be completed in June 2009. 

Additional plans are underway for construction of a new building in Rushford’s Industrial Park that will serve as Rushford Hypersonic’s headquarters and primary production facility. Initial projections estimate the new building to be completed by late summer 2010.

The burgeoning nanotechnology industry is providing excellent opportunities for business and communities. Rushford Hypersonic LLC expects to create 60 -75 full-time production, engineering, and research and development jobs over the next 5 years. Additionally, there will be at least 20 – 30 temporary local contractor jobs created by the current expansion and the anticipated new facility construction.  

Mayo Clinic's Cortese + C-Span

Here's an item for all of the C-Span fans out there from the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center blog about the clinic's top dog:

Dr. Denis Cortese, M.D., will join Susan Swain on C-Span's Washington Journal for a discussion of health care reform at 9:30 a.m. ET on January 15.

They will talk about propsects for health care reform in the 111th Congress and the upcoming activities of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center.

Tuohy Furniture pays $21,000 pollution fine

FDA OKs magnetic depression treatment

Neuronetics, Inc., a medical device company for which Mayo Clinic has done clinical trials and which has been funding by a VC firm managed by an ex-Mayo exec in Rochester, got the greenlight from the FDA today for itsNeuroStar TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) Therapy system for the treatment of depression.

This was its second round at FDA, which declined approval in January 2007. It was not declined for any bad effects, but in the first round it was reported as not showing any benefits.

Financier John Deedrick of Rochester, a former investment manager for Mayo Clinic who manages a venture capital fund called Accuitive Medical Ventures L.L.C., invested "just under $1 million (not sure if that means $999,000 or $800,000) in Neuronetics.

Mayo Clinic was one of the sites conducting clinical trials on the device.

Here's some from today's announcement from the Malvern, Penn. company:

NeuroStar TMS Therapy(R) is specifically indicated for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in adult patients who have failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from one prior antidepressant medication at or above the minimal effective dose and duration in the current episode. In clinical trials with NeuroStar TMS Therapy, these patients had been treated with a median of 4 medication treatment attempts, one of which achieved criteria for adequate dose and duration.

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The NeuroStar TMS Therapy system is the first and only TMS Therapy(R) device cleared by the FDA for the treatment of depression. TMS Therapy is a non-systemic (does not circulate in the bloodstream throughout the body) and non-invasive (does not involve surgery) form of neuromodulation which stimulates nerve cells in an area of the brain that is linked to depression, by delivering highly focused MRI-strength magnetic pulses. Patients being treated by NeuroStar TMS Therapy do not require anesthesia or sedation and remain awake and alert. It is a 40-minute outpatient procedure that is prescribed by a psychiatrist and performed in a psychiatrist's office. The treatment is typically administered daily for 4-6 weeks.

"In the randomized controlled trial conducted for FDA clearance, NeuroStar TMS Therapy demonstrated statistically and clinically significant treatment effects," said Phil Janicak, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Rush University-Chicago and a Principal Investigator in the NeuroStar TMS Therapy clinical trials. "It's particularly noteworthy that these outcomes were achieved without systemic side effects, such as weight gain and sexual dysfunction.

Financier John Deedrick of Rochester, a former investment manager for Mayo Clinic who manages a venture capital fund called Accuitive Medical Ventures L.L.C., invested "just under $1 million (not sure if that means $999,000 or $800,000) in Neuronetics.

Mayo Clinic was one of the sites conducting clinical trials on the device.

Here's some from today's announcement from the Malvern, Penn. company:

Masquerade to open in Apache Mall

A specialty Halloween kiosk, Masquerade by John K, is opening Wednesday at Rochester's Apache Mall.

Masquerade sells Venetian-style masks. Cindy Erickson is the owner.

Here's a description of what they do:

We have come to appreciate the diversity, the rich historical roots of Venetian masks and have ultimately been captivated by their beauty. 



We take pride in working with the best mask makers ( mascherieri ) in Venice to design and adapt the traditional masks of the Commedia Dell'Arte (Comedy of Arts) from 17th century Venice as well as the more recent designs that have molded and defined the Venetian mask-making tradition over the last several decades. These Venetian-style masks were hand decorated using antique Venetian techniques.


It is our pleasure to offer you these beautiful products of craftsmanship and art for your enjoyment and use. Although widely used for Masquerades and Masked Balls, our masks are also ideal for home décor, wall hangings, special corporate events, Year-End parties, weddings, fashion shows and much more. They are a classy alternative to your typical Halloween Costume and can be used over and over.


Medtronic to buy company w/ Mayo Clinic ties

Medtronic Inc. is paying about $400 million to buy a Canadian medical device company, which has worked with Mayo Clinic in the past.

This morning, Minneapolis-based medical device maker Medtronic announced that it is buying Montreal-based CryoCath Technologies Inc.

CryoCath has accepted the offer of $8.75 per share, about $380 million total.

CyroCath makes a heart catheter used to treat atrial fibulation.

Mayo Clinic participated in a clinical study, along with Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, of CryoCath’s Arctic Front catheter.

Dr. Douglas Packer of Mayo Clinic presented the results of the study at the Annual International Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium in 2006.

In today’s announcement, Medtronic explained why it is interested in CyroCath.

“Medtronic estimates that up to five million patients worldwide are impacted by atrial fibrillation,” said Pat Mackin of Medtronic. “Medtronic and physicians are interested in procedures that are safer, faster and less complex so that more patients can benefit from treatment.”

Mayo Clinic + Nobel Peace Prize-winning bank

Here's an interesting project. Mayo Clinic is partnering with Grameen Health, an offshoot of 2006 Nobel Prize winning Grameen Bank, to work on sustainable healthcare programs in developing countries.

Here's some from the release that was kicked out this morning:

Grameen Health, an affiliate of Grameen Bank, the pioneering micro-financing organization in Bangladesh that shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for its work to alleviate poverty, announced today that it will establish independent partnerships with Pfizer Inc., GE Healthcare, and Mayo Clinic to create sustainable models for healthcare delivery in the developing world.

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These multiple, independent collaborations will focus on social business models in which the businesses are self-supporting and any profits are re-invested into the system in order to reach more of the poor. This approach is cost-effective and maximizes the benefits that patients receive. The models will be transferable to other healthcare delivery systems.

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Grameen Health and its partners hope to develop appropriate and sustainable models for healthcare delivery and rural primary care clinics, with the goal of replicating these models in other countries. Pfizer is dedicating key employees to provide technical and advisory support to evaluate Grameen’s existing healthcare delivery systems in Bangladesh. GE Healthcare will test delivery of ultrasound capability in rural clinics for early detection of abnormalities, and Mayo Clinic will work to improve the training, efficiency, and retention of staff at existing Grameen Health Kalyan clinics.

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“Mayo Clinic and Grameen are exploring opportunities where our organizations can work collaboratively based on the junction of our missions and strategic priorities,” said Denis Cortese, M.D., president & CEO, Mayo Clinic. “These opportunities range from new methods of delivering care and dissemination of knowledge and best practices to education, clinical research and the use of new technology in non-traditional settings. Our two organizations are working diligently to find the opportunities that will have the best likelihood of improving health care delivery in developing countries.”

Charter adds 4 HD channels in Roch. area

Here's a quick release from Charter about new HD channels:

Charter Communications, Inc. announced today it has added four new channels in high definition (HD) in Rochester, Oronoco, Zumbrota, Stewartville, Kasson, Byron and Eyota, Minnesota. Charter added TLC-HD, Animal Planet-HD, TBS-HD and the Smithsonian Channel-HD.

“Charter is pleased to offer its customers these four new HD channels,” said John Crowley, Vice President and General Manager for Charter in Minnesota. “Charter is dedicated to providing the best value in HD programming and we know our customers will enjoy the outstanding programming offered by the addition of the HD channels,” concluded Mr. Crowley.

Mayo Clinic works w/ pal Nile Therapeutics

Mayo Clinic is launching a 2nd stage clinical study of one of the peptides it created and licensed to Nile Therapeutics, Inc.

This study is of CD-NP, a novel chimeric natriuretic peptide, which is hoped to be used to treat heart failure. Nile has said it hopes CD-NP can go before the FDA by 2009.

On June 26, Mayo and the San Francisco biopharmaceutical firm signed a deal about another Mayo-created, peptide called CU-NP.

Finding a drug to help deal with heart failure would mean tapping into a market where $3 billion is estimated to be spent annually on drugs in the U.S.

Here's more on this latest study by Mayo of CD-NP:

Nile Therapeutics, Inc., today announced that Mayo Clinic has initiated a Phase Ib, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of CD-NP, a novel chimeric natriuretic peptide, in development for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure.

The primary objective of the study is to assess renal, neurohumoral and non-invasive hemodynamic physiologic parameters of intravenous infusions of CD-NP in patients with heart failure.

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The trial is expected to enroll 27 heart failure patients.

"We are delighted that dosing has begun in this important Phase Ib study of CD-NP in patients with heart failure," said Peter Strumph, Chief Executive Officer of Nile. "This Mayo sponsored study, which is the fourth clinical study of CD-NP, will enable us to continue to build on our understanding of the clinical effects of CD-NP."

Hormel sausage maker + EPA = no fines

This is kind of interesting.

Hormel Foods picked up this company when acquiring Provena Foods in Sept., 2006 for $16 million.

EPA has waived penalties against the Swiss American Sausage Company, a subsidiary of Hormel Food Corp., located in Lathrop, Calif., after the facility voluntarily reported federal Clean Air Act Risk Management Program violations.

The San Joaquin County-based food storage and distribution facility voluntarily disclosed to EPA that it had not submitted a risk management plan, as required by the Clean Air Act. The company self-disclosed the violations in accordance with EPA’s Incentives for Self-Policing: Discovery, Disclosure, Correction and Prevention of Violations policy, commonly referred to as the "audit policy."

The EPA has the discretion to eliminate penalties if it determines that a respondent has satisfied certain conditions set forth in the audit policy.

"The EPA is pleased with the responsible action taken by the Swiss American Sausage Company--it’s the responsibility of all companies to do the required reporting," said Keith Takata, Superfund Division director in the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "It's critical that facilities using chemicals follow our chemical accident prevention rules to protect the health and safety of area residents, emergency response personnel, and the environment."

At this facility, at least 16,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia used in the refrigeration system mandated a risk management plan.

The EPA may reduce penalties up to 100 percent for violations that are voluntarily discovered, promptly disclosed to the agency, and quickly corrected. Swiss American Sausage very quickly corrected and self-disclosed its violation, EPA said.