Medical device coatings company SurModics recently announced that it would undergo a strategic realignment that unfortunately necessitates the reduction of 9% of its workforce and the exit of its CFO. In response to this news, competitor Biocoat featured an interesting post on its blog in which Josh Simon speculates as to what may have gone wrong.

In essence, he questions the company's focus on drug-delivery technologies. "I think that the idea of creating a business out of making various drug-delivery coatings for medical devices is not sustainable, on a contract basis, licensing basis, or otherwise. Here's why: In order to get ONE good drug releasing coating verified and onto the market on a product, you need a whole company.  Even then, your chances of failing are huge," he writes.

Although Biocoat is a direct competitor of SurModics and thus, its opinions on the struggles of its competitor should be taken with a grain of salt, Simon makes an intriguing argument. And while the issues of supplier companies may not be of major concern to OEMs, SImon's post is nonetheless worth checking out. Click over to Biocoat's blog to give it a read. --Shana Leonard