Regeneron and Geisinger’s new collaboration to identify genetic variants and apply that knowledge to drug discovery and patient care is pharma’s most ambitious effort to date to exploit next-generation genomics, but its impact on drug discovery productivity won’t be known for years.

Studies suggest transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with a higher stroke risk than standard surgical valve replacement, presumably due to embolic debris released during the TAVR procedure. To address this concern, several companies are developing TAVR-specific embolic protection devices, and their success may prove to be a key driver of future growth in this $1+ billion market.

Micro Interventional Devices was founded around opportunities in addressing the procedural challenges that limit patient access to transcatheter heart valves. The company’s initial focus is on developing a transcatheter valve for the replacement of the mitral valve, and an easy and effective transapical access and closure method for transcatheter mitral and aortic valve procedures. The company’s mission, though, is to broadly focus on advancing structural heart disease treatments, and MID’s first-generation technology has potential application to several areas of structural heart disease, including PFO/atrial septal defect closure, left atrial appendage closure and cardiac ablations.

With low-cost whole genome sequencing on the horizon, issues around acquiring and assessing large data sets of sequence information are front and center. The value proposition is also shifting, from the means of acquiring data to their interpretation. But finding a sustainable business model around data analysis and clinical services is far from straightforward.