The FDA-cleared EluPro bioenvelope delivers two antibiotics to patients over an extended period of time after they receive an implantable pacemaker or defibrillator to cut infection rates.

"Today’s sentence sends a deterrent message to doctors and the healthcare industry," according to a DOJ statement. "If you abuse patient trust for profit, you will face justice."

Johnson & Johnson MedTech was already ordered to pay $442.2 million in damages for withholding clinical support to healthcare providers. Now the company has been hit with a permanent injunction designed to stop it from being a repeat offender.

The interventional cardiologist was accused of prescribing a variety of drugs to his family and friends, but then picking them up himself for his own personal use. This settlement officially resolves those allegations. 

New Hampshire-based Conformal Medical plans on using the funds to enroll more patients into an ongoing clinical trial. 

"We cannot accept a system where only those with means can benefit from life-changing drugs. We are a wealthy nation that spends trillions on healthcare. We must ensure that income and wealth do not determine access," explained JACC Editor-in-Chief Harlan M. Krumholz, MD.

Ultromics plans to use the new funds to help expand its presence throughout the United States. In addition, the company is focused on developing additional AI-enabled software offerings.