Healthcare - Today Stories

New UK fund cornerstoned by £50 million investment from the British Business Bank, through its Enterprise Capital Funds (ECF) programme Epidarex Capital III UK LP will invest in new life science companies from emerging research hubs across the UK, including spinouts from highly regarded universities Edinburgh, UK, 22 June 2020 - Epidarex Capital (“Epidarex”), a transatlantic life science venture firm, announces that it has closed Epidarex Capital III UK LP (the “Fund”) at £102.1 million. The Fund will build new life science companies based on world-class research and innovation from emerging hubs across the UK, including spinouts from highly regarded universities. Typical initial investments will range from £2 million to £5 million. The new Fund has been cornerstoned by the British Busin…

UK medtech start-up Gendius has signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with global, science-led biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to develop Gendius’ leading diabetes management platform (Intellin®) and support patients in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which have some of the highest rates of diabetes in the world. This strategic partnership will build on Gendius’ expertise from its market-leading diabetes management platform, Intellin®, which has more than 200,000 downloads worldwide. Through the partnership with AstraZeneca, healthcare professionals across the Gulf region will use Gendius’ Intellin® platform to optimise their patients’ diabetes management, in order to reduce the incidence of complications such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, amputation, and blin…

Behavioural change platform Changing Health has been appointed by NHS England to develop Healthy Living, a free, personalised NHS programme for the 3.4 million people living with Type 2 diabetes in the UK. A condition which currently costs the NHS £9bn per year - around 10% of the total health budget - this will be the first national rollout of its kind. With figures showing there are 22,000 avoidable deaths each year due to Type 2 diabetes, the new NHS support provides users with the skills and knowledge to manage their condition effectively, including advice on emotional and mental wellbeing, and helps users adopt and maintain healthy behaviours around diet and exercise. From later this year, users will be able access the digital platform at any time they need to via a phone or laptop an…

Zegami, the Oxford University data visualisation spin-out, has joined an international team of medical researchers to try and find the cause of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).  This could then help in the development of the first ever medical test for the condition, new treatments or even to find a cure.  The work could also help researchers studying other medical conditions that have a fatigue symptom including cancer, strokes, Parkinson Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.    ME/CFS affects 20 million people worldwide, but it is not clear what causes it.  Complex and variable symptoms make it difficult to diagnose and only 5% of patients make a full recovery.  Research into the causes has been limited due to a lack of funding, but the recent identification o…

Abu Dhabi; June 09, 2020: Group 42 (G42), a leading AI and Cloud Computing company based in the United Arab Emirates, and Oxford Nanopore Technologies, an advanced sequencing technology company based in the United Kingdom, announced today they have developed an unprecedented population-scale technology that rapidly and accurately detects SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The end-to-end solution will be officially launched within weeks. With ultra-high parallel processing capacity, the new technology has the potential to transform the diagnostics industry globally. This innovation uses the LamPORE assay, which is based on the LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) technique and Oxford Nanopore’s rapid sequencing platform, in combination with the high-throughput automation,…

eConsult, the UK’s leading online triage provider to the NHS, has become the first online consultation service to be integrated with the NHS App. Patients whose GP surgeries use eConsult can use the NHS App to ‘Ask your GP for advice’ and are prompted to complete clinically validated eConsult questions. This is known as an online consultation and allows the GP Surgery to decide how best to advise the patient. Where possible the online consultation will be passed to the patient’s regular GP or member of the team who will then respond. The NHS App, owned by the NHS is a simple and secure way to access a variety of NHS services from mobile devices. Now eConsult is integrated into the NHS App for initial, online triage with efficient use for patients and doctors. Further detail can be found vi…

The House of Lords International Agreements Sub-Committee has today launched its first call for evidence, seeking views on the ongoing UK-US trade negotiations. The committee is seeking evidence on the full range of areas being negotiated with the US, with an initial focus on agriculture and food safety, healthcare and drug pricing, and digital trade and services. The committee is asking for submissions of written evidence to be received by Friday 26 June, but the call for evidence will remain open throughout the negotiations. Lord Goldsmith, Chairman of the Internaional Agreements Sub-Committee, said: “The International Agreements Sub-Committee has been established to scrutinise how the Government negotiates new international agreements for a post-Brexit UK. This includes new trade deals.…

eConsult Health is providing online consultation access to the Ministry of Defence, across 124 international sites 183,500 personnel will have access to remote online consultations eConsult is used in over 2,800 NHS GP practices nationwide, servicing around 1 in 3 patients Today, eConsult announced that it has been chosen by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to be its provider of online health consultations. eConsult was selected as the online consultation provider for all medical centres across the 124 MOD sites. The sites are based in the UK and across the globe, as far as Nepal, The Falklands and Belize. Around 183,500 military personnel will now use the online consultation platform. As part of the mobilisation process, eConsult worked with the MOD teams to rapidly roll out online consult…

Basel, May 26, 2020 — Novartis announces data from its Migraine Care pilot program which was created in collaboration with patient groups and leading experts in neurology, telemedicine and digital medicine, to provide a complementary, independent, third-party service for all Swiss-based Novartis associates living with migraine to improve their quality of life. These data have been published in the European Journal of Neurology after the 6th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology was held virtually due to COVID-19.   “The study confirms the high burden of people living and working with migraine but also demonstrates that empowering individuals can significantly increase quality of life and productivity”, said Dr. Gantenbein, Head of the Swiss Headache Society. “This further emphasize…

Responding to the news that antibody testing will be given to health and care staff as a priority, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said:“This could be a game changer – and it is great that we now have a reliable antibody test.“As the government acknowledges of course there are still unknowns. We don’t yet know whether antibodies mean you are immune, and if so, for how long. We also need to know whether those with antibodies can still transmit the virus.“But this will make a real difference, in understanding how and to whom the virus has spread and because it will help us to answer these pressing questions.“We very much welcome the decision to give health and care staff priority and to work with local lead…

SAN FRANCISCO, May 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the publication of research findings from the company’s efforts to develop therapeutics for COVID-19 in the May 18, 2020 issue of the journal Nature. The paper, entitled “Cross-neutralization of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV2 by a human monoclonal antibody” (Pinto, et al., Nature), details the identification and characterization of S309, an antibody isolated from a patient who recovered from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which has been shown to prevent SARS-CoV-2 live virus infection of cells. Vir is advancing two clinical development candidates based on the S309 antibody as potential therapeutics for COVID-19, VIR-7831 and VIR-7832, in collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline plc (L…

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., May 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- INOVIO (NASDAQ:INO) today announced the publication of the preclinical study data for IN0-4800, its COVID-19 DNA vaccine, demonstrating robust neutralizing antibody and T cell immune responses against coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications titled, "Immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19" by INOVIO scientists and collaborators from The Wistar Institute, the University of Texas, Public Health England, Fudan University, and Advaccine. Dr. Kate Broderick, INOVIO's Senior Vice President of R&D and the Team Lead for COVID-19 vaccine development, said, "These positive preclinical results from our COVID-19 DNA vaccine (INO-4800) not only highlight the potency of our D…

The UK has joined the US, Europe and the World Health Organisation by including loss of smell or taste as an officially recognised symptom of Covid-19 – thanks in part to an international research project involving Professor Carl Philpott at the University of East Anglia. Led by an international delegation, the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR) survey was launched in response to anecdotal reports of smell and taste loss in people who have tested positive for Covid-19. UEA smell expert Prof Carl Philpot, from Norwich Medical School, is one of the research group’s members. He has also been surveying local hospital workers during the pandemic. He said: “Our group of international smell and taste researchers united to study how, when and why people are experiencing a loss of s…

PharmiWeb is pleased to announce the launch of our IOS Job Search App for the pharma and life science sector. Even in these times, PharmiWeb’s niche job board (PharmiWeb.Jobs) maintains a vast selection of active job vacancies from countries right across Europe and into Australia. The new app is designed to help job seekers quickly search over 2500 current vacancies from more than 80 actively recruiting employers and agencies. Once installed, job seekers can save their searches, shortlist the roles or apply online using their hand held devices. Developed by our platform partner Madgex, our IOS app complements our existing Android app already available on the Google App Store. To download the IOS App to your Apple device, simply go here: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/pharmiweb-jobs/id1485…

Belfast, UK, 14 May 2020 – Almac Discovery, a member of the Almac Group, has announced an out-licensing partnership with an undisclosed biotechnology company in order to advance the development and commercialisation of one of its portfolio projects - ALM301. ALM301 is a novel, patent-protected, potent, subtype selective Akt kinase inhibitor with good pharmacokinetic properties across multiple species, and an excellent selectivity profile. It has demonstrated robust efficacy in pre-clinical prostate, breast and other cancer xenograft models, both as a single agent and in combination with standard chemotherapeutic agents, where synergy has been observed. The molecule is currently in late-stage pre-clinical development, and the partner will complete this before progressing into the clinical d…

Glasgow, Scotland, 30th April 2020: A UK-based biotechnology firm has announced the discovery of two separate novel treatments for Covid-19 patients before they are put on ventilators.  They are now urgently seeking funding of £4m to accelerate safety studies and clinical trials. ILC Therapeutics has patented a new Interferon-Alpha subtype, called Interferon Alpha 14, which can be administered to patients through injection or inhalation. This natural human molecule treatment could prevent Covid-19 induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), which would mean that a considerable number of patients may no longer need to be on a ventilator. Interferon Alpha 14 is the most potent antiviral interferon that exists and requires very small doses for treatment. It could also treat Covid-19 b…

University of East Anglia researchers are launching a new study to see how Covid-19 and lockdown are affecting people with bone, joint and muscle pain. Their previous research has revealed the challenges and poor health outcomes caused by social isolation and loneliness for people with conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lower back pain, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia. Now, the team are looking for people with bone, joint and muscle pain to take part in a 12-week online survey to see how they are coping at this difficult time of coronavirus self-isolation. The study is being led by Dr Toby Smith, from UEA’s School of Health Sciences, and Prof Alex MacGregor, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School. Dr Smith said: “Bone, joint and muscle pain is a major cause of disability for pe…

Cambridge and Israeli scientists create a revolutionary air filter to capture and destroy coronavirus particles. A team of scientists and engineers from Cambridge, UK and Ma’alot-Tarshiha, Israel, have developed a revolutionary new carbon-based material that captures and destroys an animal coronavirus, a close relative of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The Active Virus Filter in the form of a thin carbon nanotube mat (TorStranTM) has the filtration and air permeability properties which allow it to capture free virus molecules and those contained in airborne aerosolised droplets. Both filtration and virus disruption take place at the same time allowing the filter to reduce the risk of infection by removing contamination from the air. We envisage it being particularly useful in c…

Responding to the government’s promise of more tests in the care sector, Dr Layla McCay, director at the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said:“The offer of more tests for social care staff is desperately needed as this sector has been suffering in silence during this pandemic. But it comes as health leaders across primary, community and mental health services are continuing to experience difficulties with getting their staff the tests they need to get back to work despite similar promises being made by Government.“Things are improving but the country’s testing capacity is far from where it needs to be to meet the ambition of 100,000 a day in just over two weeks – that’s over 85,000 more tests a day than what is happening now.“We need absolute…

London, 14 April 2020 - Atos, a global leader in digital transformation, today reveals that one of the most advanced supercomputers in the world, the powerful BullSequana X1000 installed at The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Hartree Centre, is providing supercomputing power to assist in global computational drug discovery efforts to help combat COVID-19. The Hartree Centre team is working closely with Washington University School of Medicine who lead the Folding@home project, which allows a global community of contributors to lend unused background capacity on their personal computers to power simulations of target drug interactions. While there is plenty of compute power[1] available to run these simulations, creating the drug structures to be simulated uses complex and…