A Medical Device Daily

A new electronic “toolkit” for the staff of the National Health Service , launched by the UK Department of Health , is intended to help transform the lives of stroke suffers, according to Health Minister Rosie Winterton.

The computer-based program, called Asset 2, has been developed to assist healthcare commissioners in modernizing their services, preventing thousands of strokes in the process. Aimed at Primary Care Trusts and general practitioners, the web-based system identifies levels of demand for services in an area, benchmarks current services against other organizations, identifies best practices and demonstrates the impact of changes.

Launching Asset 2 at the annual UK Stroke Forum Conference in Harrogate, sponsored by The Stroke Association , Professor Roger Boyle, national clinical director for stroke services, said, “If healthcare commissioners use this tool and follow its recommendations, lives will be saved.”

The guide encourages four key changes:

• Increasing stroke unit capacity.
• Providing quicker access to transient ischemic attack (minor stroke) services.
• Rapid scanning to enable greater use of clot-busting drugs.
• Early supported discharge.

If all services made these changes, then each year 840 strokes would be avoided, and 3,900 sufferers would regain their independence rather than facing the prospect of death or long-term dependency, the developers have said. Another 20,000 strokes could be avoided through preventive work on high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, smoking cessation and wider statin use.

Winterton has asked Boyle to develop a stroke strategy, and his expert groups are to report their recommendations in 2007.

Boyle said, “The toolkit will complement the work already under way on our stroke strategy and shows the NHS can start making changes to stroke care today. Two-thirds of stroke patients now spend time on a stroke unit, where they have access to highly trained staff and excellent post-stroke care, including support for swallowing, speech, mobility and daily living activities.”

Joe Korner, director of communications at The Stroke Association, said, “We are fully behind the progress that has already been made improving and shaping stroke services.”

PGxHealth in accord on genetic test

Clinical Data (Newton, Massachusetts) reported that its PGxHealth division has entered into an agreement with Lab21 , a leader in molecular diagnostic testing in Europe.

Lab21 will have exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland to market and sell Clinical Data’s Familion test, a genetic test designed to identify mutations in people with inherited cardiac channelopathies such as Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) and Brugada Syndrome. In addition, the parties have agreed to consider other molecular and pharmacogenomic tests developed and commercialized by PGxHealth for future launch in the UK and Ireland.

John Schultz, senior VP of business development at PGxHealth, said, “Our experience and proficiency in delivering this test will allow for an average of less than four weeks’ turnaround time from sample receipt to delivery of test results. We expect our combined offering with Lab21 to be highly competitive and address a significant unmet market need.”

Berwyn Clarke, chief scientific officer of Lab21, said, “Lab21 already provides market leading genetic testing products, particularly for predicting disease predisposition. This new relationship with PGxHealth offers us significant opportunities to build this franchise by leveraging our existing ties to many of the region’s key healthcare providers.”

Lab21 is a clinical services company that supports Healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries with advanced molecular services relating to personalized medicine and healthcare diagnostics.

Report cites life science opportunities

Europeans have become increasingly optimistic about life science and biotechnology research due to significant opportunities offered by life sciences and biotech in healthcare applications. Underpinned by these trends, the region is witnessing several changes in the funding mechanisms to ensure proper utilization of funds for life sciences research projects, according to global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan (F&S; London).

“In recent years, basic life sciences research has witnessed unprecedented advances,” notes Frost & Sullivan industry analyst Sylvia Miriyam Findlay in a new analysis, “Life Sciences Funding in Europe (2006) - Phase I.”

“The human genome project, ‘omics’ research and the transition toward integrating systems biology will initiate a paradigm shift in the European life sciences funding landscape,” she said.

The increasing trend of support for research in the areas of life sciences and biotech has been reflected in the implementation of the European Commission ’s Sixth Framework Program which aims to foster competitiveness, innovation and scientific excellence through integration and coordination of research efforts.

While Europe possesses a robust scientific base, harnessing the full potential of life sciences and biotechnology is essential and manpower will need to be channeled effectively to optimize the benefits of the life sciences/biotech revolution, according to the F&S report. The diverse nature of funding efforts in Europe complicates the ultimate aim of weaving a seamless fabric of a unified research community across the region.

“Improper consolidation and channeling of various public funds is the primary issue confronting life sciences funding,” Findlay said. “Efficient utilization of funds and heightened public involvement is of critical importance. A constructive political and societal collaboration is vital to increase the involvement of public investment for basic research in Europe.”

She said that basic research funding needs to focus primarily on the integration of research activities at a pan-European level. In addition, incubatory researches across Europe have to be incorporated in the funding agenda. Such centers of innovation hold immense potential for innovations in life sciences, according to the report.

While the European knowledge base is immense, according to the F&S analyst, she said it is inefficient in exploiting research outcomes. This highlights the importance of the increased participation of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

The report said the European Commission has taken various initiatives to increase SME participation. Strong industrial partnerships are the key to maximize knowledge and expertise, which will result in innovation that can create a knowledge-based economy in Europe, it said.