A mix of news, announcements, disclosures and rumors sparked a buying spree of shares in life science and medical device companies in the Triangle on Tuesday.

Medical robot manufacturer TransEnterix (TRXC) led the way. Its shares surged 28 percent after the Triangle-based company disclosed the sale of its first robotic surgical system in Europe.

TransEnterix boost

​Here’s what NC Biotech Writer Jim Shamp reported on the latest news:

Duke University spin-out TransEnterix, a Morrisville medical device company, has found a new life since last year’s purchase of the surgical robotics division of Italian health care company Sofar.

Publicly traded TransEnterix has spent years developing its own minimally invasive robotic surgery systems, but fortuitously put nearly $100 million on the line to add the Sofar-developed Telelap ALF-X to its portfolio. The ALF-X had already been approved for use in Europe.

Then, TransEnterix’s own platform was subsequently rejected for the U.S. market by the Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. The company’s stock collapsed.

Today, TransEnterix announced its first ALF-X sale. Humanitas Hospital in Milan, Italy bought it. So did investors. The stock jumped more than 20 percent on the day.

“Humanitas is an outstanding academic hospital with a respected multi-specialty surgical program,” said Todd Pope, president and CEO of TransEnterix. “The ALF-X enables an enhanced surgical program through the use of advanced robotic technology with responsible procedural economics.”

“The initiation of sales of ALF-X represents an important milestone towards realizing our vision to transform surgical robotics,” Pope added in a news release. “We have made substantial progress building out our global commercial, distribution and service capabilities throughout 2016.”

The ALF-X System is for general surgery, gynecology, urology and thoracic surgery. Now the company is preparing an FDA submission for U.S. market clearance for the ALF-X.

Other news

  • Shares in drug giant Biogen (BIIB), meanwhile, jumped some 9 percent. Rumors are circulating that either Alelgran or Merck might be buying the company, which has a large operation in RTP.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the takeover talk.

Why now? Notes Business Insider: “The talk of a takeover comes just days after Biogen said that its CEO, George Scangos, would leave the company after six years at its helm.”

  • And Cempra (CEMP), which is based in Chapel Hill, got a 9 percent-plus bump after a briefing with analysts during which the company said it has enough money to fund operations through 2017.
  • Shares in BioCryst (BCRX) got a nearly 3 percent bump as concerns continue to mount about the Zika virus. BioCryst is developing a potential Zika treatment.
  • Heat Bio (HBTX), meanwhile, saw a 17 percent jump in its shares and are up 30 percent for the week. An update at Fortune.com on Tuesday noted that two analysts who cover the stock value it at more than $5. Shares closed Tuesday at $1.08.

TransEnterix sells first surgical robot in Italy

Morrisville robotics company TransEnterix has sold its first surgical robot, announcing the deal Monday, nearly four months after U.S. regulators rejected the company’s surgical technology in this country.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/#storylink=cpy

Cempra shares up as the Chapel Hill drug maker awaits FDA ruling on new antibiotic for pneumonia

Shares of Chapel Hill antibiotics maker Cempra got a boost Tuesday after the company told analysts it has more than $250 million, enough to finance operations through the end of 2017.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/#storylink=cpy