Agile to carve niche in medical device industry

A new announcement from Agile Software (San Jose) will take PDM software into the medical device industry. Agile plans to push its Workplace PDM software to manufacturers in this industry in order to provide compliance with FDA regulatory requirements for document and design control. Agile already counts Marquette Medical Systems, Depuy, Humphrey Instruments, Enact Health Management, Intuitive Surgical, and St. Croix Medical among its clients. Agile CEO Bryan Stolle believes that the presence of electronics in medical devices makes this industry "a logical progression from the electronics industry," which is one of Agile's target markets. The compliance needs of the medical device industry, involving document and design control, electronic signatures, and software validation, are a good fit for Agile's PDM product, according to worldwide marketing director Carol Schrader. Agile plans to make "significant investments in internal resources and strategic alliances" to push their presence in this market, added Stolle.