Medtronic has recruited physician opinion leaders for strategic management positions in most of its operating divisions. The company believes this strategy will help bring them closer to customers and expedite the bedside-to-bench process for developing new products.

A preview of the emerging health care companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, New Approaches to Heart Valve Repair and Replacement, features profiles of 3F Therapeutics, Arbor Surgical Technologies and Heart Leaflet Technologies. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: Neotropix, NeuroHealing Pharmaceuticals, Othera Pharmaceuticals and Vitra Bioscience.

Arbor Surgical Technologies Inc. is gunning for its share of the $1-billion cardiac surgery market with two distinct technologies: a proprietary bovine pericardial heart valve and a unique surgical implantation system, which combine to form a complete platform designed to simplify valve replacement surgery.

Start-ups with percutaneous technologies aim to move heart valve procedures out of the OR and into the cath lab.