Clinical research - Today Stories

Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) announces that it has signed an agreement to become a Nobel Center corporate partner. The Nobel Center, an initiative within the Nobel Foundation, will operate in the spirit of the Nobel Prize, to offer a creative learning environment and a venue for discussions of topics that are crucial to our present and our future. Dr. Lars Heikensten, Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation, says: "Since Alfred Nobel wrote his will in 1895, science, humanism and peace efforts have led to new discoveries that no one previously thought possible. By supporting the activities of the Nobel Center, Elekta is showing a clear social commitment to outreach activities created on the basis of the achievements for which the Nobel Laureates are honored." Elekta CEO, Richard Hausmann, adds:…

Traditions Healthcare Holding Company, LLC, a portfolio company of Dorilton Capital Advisors LLC, announced today that it has acquired ProCare Hospice Corp. ProCare Hospice is a provider of hospice services based in Oxnard, California.  The announcement was made by Bryan Wolfe, the President and CEO of Traditions Health Care Holding Company, LLC. As a leading provider of home health and hospice services, Traditions Health Care offers skilled nursing, therapy services, and both physical and spiritual end of life care. Traditions has 9 locations throughout Texas, and the addition of ProCare marks the company's first regional expansion.   "We are very excited to add ProCare Hospice to the Traditions family. The people at ProCare are amazing and expanding our brand to Sou…

GEMCO Medical, a distributor for medical supply providers, is pleased to announce its partnership with Brightree®, the leading provider of cloud-based clinical, business management and billing software for the post-acute care industry, as an integrated electronic purchasing partner. The partnership simplifies the ordering process for DME/HME dealers by allowing them to place GEMCO orders directly from the Brightree Integrated ePurchasing platform. This streamlined process allows providers to reduce costs and increase revenue with no additional charge for integration. "Our focus has always been helping providers help their customers and this partnership provides a more efficient ordering system to do just that," says Richard Keirn, Vice President of GEMCO Medical. "By removing extra steps…

The Public Library of Science (PLOS) and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) announced today an agreement that enables the automatic posting of research articles submitted to PLOS journals on bioRxiv, CSHL's preprint server for life sciences. PLOS will perform initial manuscript screening, covering scope, plagiarism, and previous publication, and basic ethical and technical criteria. Articles will then post automatically to bioRxiv. By allowing their submission to be posted on bioRxiv, authors accelerate the dissemination of their work and invite commentary, which the PLOS editors will evaluate as part of peer review. Authors may choose to opt-out of this process when they submit papers.  "The opportunity to partner with a like-minded organization like CSHL to realize a longstandin…

TeamHealth, a leading clinician services organization, announced the acquisition of Emergency Medicine Consultants (EMC) Ltd., and its affiliated entities. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, EMC provides emergency medicine staffing for 24 facilities and one urgent care center in multiple health systems, including Texas Health Resources and Methodist Health System. EMC's approximately 330 physicians and 80 advanced practice clinicians provide care to more than 900,000 patients each year. "EMC has a long-standing mission to empower physicians to deliver superior patient care while providing excellent service to our hospital partners," said John Geesbreght, MD, co-founder and CEO of EMC. "This new partnership with TeamHealth is founded upon two culturally-aligned, physician-centric groups. With a s…

ACT Genomics is an integrated cancer molecular information company that provides comprehensive NGS-based genomic profiling and a proprietary pathway-based data approach to optimizing clinical treatment decisions and assists biomarker exploration to oncology-focused biopharma developing targeted therapies and immune-checkpoint inhibitors more effectively. ACT Genomics is honored to collaborate with AstraZeneca Singapore for both somatic and germline genetic testing of BRCA in patients with ovarian cancer, using the advanced next generation sequencing (NGS) technology. International guidelines such as those from ESMO, ASCO and NCCN recommend BRCA testing, which will provide patients and doctors with important information on disease prognosis and may improve treatment decisions. Meanwhi…

A survey of 2,000 adults commissioned by Oticon, a leader in advanced audiology and hearing aid technology, has unveiled that tinnitus is affecting millions of Brits. The new research into hearing loss in the UK reveals that a substantial 21% of respondents experience tinnitus symptoms such as ringing, buzzing or persistent noise in their ears. The new Oticon hearing loss survey results show very little distinction between the age of respondents reporting tinnitus symptoms, with between 16% and 24% of sufferers in each age category. The stats highlight the varying nature of the condition. Tinnitus can indeed be experienced by anyone, as well as be temporary or permanent, constant or intermittent. Tinnitus is a symptom that is most commonly associated with damage caused by exposure to lo…

UK Biobank, a major national and international health resource, and AMRA, the international leader in body composition analysis, are proud to announce that 6,000 subjects analysed for body composition are now available through the globally-acclaimed health study. Scientists and researchers intending to use the data in research related to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of illness are now able to apply for unlimited access via the UK Biobank website.   For ten years, UK Biobank has gathered a wide range of crucial information about participants’ health and well-being, including genetic data and the health record data for its 500,000 participants. In 2016, UK Biobank launched the world’s largest health imaging study, focused on dedicated imaging of the brain, heart, bones, caroti…

Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) today announced it has closed an investment and entered into an acquisition option agreement with Millipede, Inc., a privately-held company that has developed the IRIS Transcatheter Annuloplasty Ring System for the treatment of severe mitral regurgitation (MR). Under the terms of the agreements, Boston Scientific has purchased a portion of the outstanding shares of Millipede along with newly issued shares of the company for a total consideration of $90M. Boston Scientific has the option to acquire the remaining shares of the company at any time prior to the completion of a first in human clinical study that meets certain parameters. Upon the completion of the clinical study, Millipede has the option to compel Boston Scientific to acquire the remain…

Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), is pleased to announce a new global in-licensing agreement with Ab E Discovery to further develop and bring to market an egg antibody focused on supporting gut health, and thereby the growth and welfare, of poultry. Developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison by Drs. Mark Cook and Jordan Sand, this unique innovation targets anti-nutritional challenges found in an animal's gut. This technology, when fully developed, will focus on the natural ability of hens to pass antibodies to their offspring through eggs. Adding egg proteins to the diets of young birds passes on antibodies to improve gut health. A healthy gut can decrease susceptibility to certain pathogens, such as Eimeria spp., which is known to cause coccidi…

Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ, TASE: MYL) today announced the launch of Brabio (glatiramer acetate injection) 40 mg/ml,[1] the first available therapeutically equivalent version of Teva’s Copaxone® indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system.[2]   It is expected that Brabio will be available at a lower acquisition cost to the NHS, which is currently seeking to expand its use of best value medicines following the launch of its ‘Medicines Value Programme’. This initiative aims to improve health outcomes by diverting budget to other areas of need without compromising on treatment.   Mylan Europe President Jacek Glinka commented, “Bringing a more affordable, more accessible treatment op…

Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Yoshihiko Hatanaka, "Astellas" ) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Mitobridge, Inc. ("Mitobridge"), and Mitobridge has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Astellas as of January 23, 2018 (U.S. Eastern Time). By exercising the option right to acquire Mitobridge, Astellas paid $225 million1 to acquire 100% of the equity in Mitobridge. In addition, Mitobridge shareholders will be eligible for additional payments from Astellas that total up to $225 million2 depending on the progress of various programs in clinical development. The transaction accelerates Astellas' research and development in diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunctions and will enable the delivery of innovative new treatment options to pat…

Blue Mesa Health Inc., New York, NY, today announced a partnership with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany to pilot its CDC-recognized Diabetes Prevention Programs in territories outside of the United States. Founded in 2015, Blue Mesa Health has designed and commercialized two chronic disease prevention programs based on the CDC's landmark National Diabetes Prevention Program. Transform is a year-long lifestyle change program that integrates remote health coaching from dieticians, a peer support group, and the integration of smartphone app technology with connected bathroom scales and activity trackers. Transformemos is a Spanish-language program currently available in the US market for Spanish speakers. "We are thrilled to partner with a leading science and technology company like Merck KG…

Paris (France) and Waltham, Mass. - January 22, 2018 - Sanofi and Bioverativ Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on therapies for hemophilia and other rare blood disorders, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Sanofi will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Bioverativ for $105 per share in cash, representing an equity value of approximately $11.6 billion (on a fully diluted basis).  The transaction was unanimously approved by both the Sanofi and Bioverativ Boards of Directors. "With Bioverativ, a leader in the growing hemophilia market, Sanofi enhances its presence in specialty care and leadership in rare diseases, in line with its 2020 Roadmap, and creates a platform for growth in other rare blood disorders.  Together, we have a great opportunity…

Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and Allergan plc. (NYSE: AGN) today announced that the European Commission (EC) has granted marketing authorization for MVASI® (biosimilar bevacizumab). MVASI is the first biosimilar bevacizumab approved by the EC and is approved for the treatment of certain types of cancers, including in combination with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum; in combination with paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer; in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy for unresectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); in combination with erlotinib for unresectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent non-squamous NSCLC; in combination with interferon alfa-2a for advanced and/or metastatic renal c…

SQI Diagnostics Inc. ("SQI" or the "Company") (TSX-V: SQD; OTCQB: SQIDF), today announced it has signed a revenue-producing agreement with a global biotechnology company to provide assay development and future sample testing and analysis services.  This customer has contracted test development to SQI to create an immunogenicity assay utilizing SQI's multiplexing technology. After completing test development, SQI anticipates it will be engaged to provide contract research services to provide analytical sample testing. This testing will be done at SQI's state-of-the-art facility in Toronto.  This contract research service augments SQI's product offerings enabling pharma and biotech customers to outsource their multiplexed assay development, validation, and testing services to SQI.…

Applied BioMath (www.appliedbiomath.com), the industry-leader in applying mechanistic modeling to drug research and development, today announced a collaboration with Compass Therapeutics for the semi-mechanistic pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modeling of a therapeutic targeting solid tumors.  Semi-mechanistic PK/PD models will be developed for mouse, cynomolgus monkey, and human species and will help answer strategic questions such as the target coverage required for efficacy and dose regimen selection for the clinical study. "We will use these models to help guide experiments and narrow down critical dosing and target coverage ranges to support an Investigational New Drug (IND)," said Michael Schmidt, Vice President, Antibody Discovery and Engineering at Compass Therape…

Biotage AB (Biotage), (NASDAQ OMX Stockholm: BIOT.ST) today announces the closing of the acquisition of all outstanding shares in the privately held company Horizon Technology, Inc. (Horizon) based in New Hampshire, US, in accordance with contract and public announcement of December 6th, 2017. The purchase price adjusted for actual net cash at the closing date is approx. USD 17.9 million, corresponding to approx. SEK 143.4 million[1], based on an enterprise value of approx. USD 16.4 million and cash of approx. USD 1.5 million. This information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 17.00 CET on January 16, 2018. [1] Based on an exchange rate USD/SEK of 0.1247. This exchange rate has been used throughout this press release for the conver…

CGT Catapult and CombiGene today announced that they will be collaborating on a project to develop manufacturing processes for CombiGenes drug candidate CG01, a novel gene therapy for treatment of epilepsy. The collaboration aims to develop a complete and final manufacturing process which will allow CombiGene to progress to commercial GMP production and thereafter clinical trials.   CombiGene is pioneering a new therapy with the potential of dramatically improving the quality of life for a group of epilepsy patients for whom there currently is no effective treatment available. CombiGene’s unique platform uses gene therapy vectors to deliver a combination of neuropeptide y (NPY) and NPY receptors into brain cells which has shown to inhibit epileptic seizures, in a series of preclinic…

NANOBIOTIX (Euronext: NANO - ISIN: FR0011341205), a late clinical-stage nanomedicine company pioneering new approaches to the treatment of cancer, today announced it will begin a pre-clinical collaboration with Providence Cancer Institute to study Nanobiotix's lead product, NBTXR3, a first-in-class nanoparticle designed for direct injection into cancerous tumors and activation by radiotherapy.   The collaboration with Providence Cancer Institute, located at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Center in Portland, Ore., one of the world's leading oncological research centers, will provide essential preclinical data on the ability of NBTXR3 activated by radiotherapy to induce an antitumoral immune response. This is an in-depth study into the early immunologic mechanisms, triggered by nanopartic…