Pharma

Philips 12-lead ECG system
By  Laura Lovett 11:56 am January 26, 2022
Med tech giant Royal Philips is rolling out a new at-home ECG system for decentralized clinical trial use. The company is pitching this new technology as a way for clinical trial participants to record ECG data without traveling to a clinical site or requiring an in-home clinician.  Trial participants wear a PCA 500 ECG body patch with a 12-lead ECG, which can securely transmit data in "near real...
Doctor with smartphone
By  Laura Lovett 02:18 pm January 24, 2022
The digital therapeutics industry, encompassing prescription software that aim to treat specific conditions, is continuing to expand. Investors and healthcare stakeholders are beginning to take notice. In December, Pear Therapeutics became one of the first digital therapeutics companies to go public.  However, there are still many questions around the usability and scalability of these products....
Pharma, digital
By  Laura Lovett 11:35 am January 21, 2022
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company is jumping into the online pharmacy sector, launching a new digital marketplace. The company pitches the digital pharmacy as a way to help consumers find medications for less money.  In November, the company unveiled its pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) operation, which the company says lets them cut out the "middlemen" and price markups in their online...
L'Oreal
By  Laura Lovett 03:04 pm January 20, 2022
Alphabet's life-science subsidiary Verily is teaming up with cosmetics giant L'Oréal in an effort to better understand skin care and develop new digital tools in the dermatology space. The partners plan to study dermatological health over time to better understand the environment and aging's impact on skin and the "deep biology of the skin."  Verily's R&D team and L'Oréal's Active Cosmetic...
A chest x-ray showing Qure.ai's technology for breathing tube placement
By  Emily Olsen 01:33 pm January 20, 2022
Qure.ai scored FDA 510(k) clearance for its artificial intelligence algorithm that assists providers in placing breathing tubes. The clearance, which officially came down in late December, is the company's third 510(k). The two previous FDA green lights were regarding its brain CT scan product.  Using chest x-rays, the qXR-BT algorithm can analyze the position of the breathing tube. It automates...
Researcher
By  Laura Lovett 03:17 pm January 10, 2022
Biopharma giant Sanofi is setting its sights on AI for drug discovery, inking a deal worth more than $100 million with tech company Exscientia.  As part of the deal, Exscientia is eligible for as much as $5.2 billion in payments for clinical development, regulatory and commercial milestones.  The deal will revolve around the development of up to 15 novel small molecule candidates in oncology and...
Female doctor in protective workwear taking nose swab test from middle aged man wearing protective face mask
By  Emily Olsen 02:24 pm January 6, 2022
Diagnostic company Cue Health announced on Thursday that it will create an Omicron-genotyping COVID-19 test. The test will be used in professional care settings to specifically detect the Omicron variant in nasal samples. The work is part of a partnership with HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).  "An Omicron-specific test will assist clinicians in providing...
Researcher
By  Laura Lovett 02:34 pm January 3, 2022
Seattle-based startup Curi Bio landed $10 million in Series A funding for its stem cell-focused drug-exploration platforms.  This investment comes months after the company announced a $6 million funding round led by Dynamk Capital.  WHAT IT DOES Curi Bio developed a platform called Mantrarry, which is able to help scientists “generate and analyze 3D engineered human muscle tissues.” The company's...
researcher
By  Laura Lovett 02:08 pm December 22, 2021
Over the last decade, the life sciences industry has increasingly adopted more digital tools to assist in research, treatment and data collection. This trend was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, in 2021 we’ve seen more digital therapeutics emerge onto the market, while pharma companies and startups work together on collecting real-world data, and investments continue in...