Glycyrrhizic acid (GL) and its glycocan display anti-inflammatory, antiviral and antioxidant properties. Highly conserved nuclear protein (HMGB1) is a pro-inflammatory mediator that can be inhibited by GL, but the large size of the latter creates the need to obtain GL analogues with enhanced activity and stability.
Day Zero Diagnostics Inc. added more of the right kind of zeros to its coffers as it closed a $16 million financing round supported by existing investors. Venture capital investment in the diagnostics company to date totals $49 million, with more than $18 million in additional non-dilutive funding. The company is developing a diagnostic that provides same-day identification of an infectious pathogen and its antimicrobial susceptibility profile.
Authors of a multi-center study welcomed results from a device that works with a smartphone or tablet to capture medical images for a more detailed understanding of infected wounds. By capturing heat produced by a wound and using bacterial fluorescence, the Swift Ray 1 developed by Swift Medical Inc., may help clinicians tell the difference between inflammation and a potentially dangerous infection.
Aion Biosystems Inc. may be operating at a fever pitch right now, with FDA 510(k) clearance in hand for the company’s Itempshield device, which provides continuous measurement of body temperature. The company is targeting use of the quarter-sized device for patients with cancer and individuals in long-term care.
T2 Biosystems Inc. received a third FDA breakthrough device designation with its direct-from-blood molecular diagnostic test for Candida auris. The test joins its T2resistance panel and T2Lyme panel in gaining the breakthrough recognition and the increased access to the FDA that comes with it as the company seeks final approval or clearance. The C. auris test enables identification of the challenging pathogen in three to five hours instead of the several days often required to grow a culture traditionally.
Asep Medical Holdings Inc. reported “ground-breaking” use of artificial intelligence in its SepsetER test to rapidly identify infections at increased risk of severe sepsis. Developed under guidance by Professor Robert E.W. Hancock at the University of British Columbia, analysis of dysfunctional immune responses to identify particular sets of genes could signal when a patient is at risk of acquiring and potentially dying from severe sepsis.
Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. has received clearance from Health Canada to proceed with a first-in-human trial in Canada using oral ARDS-003 (onternabez) to treat various immunomodulatory conditions. Oral ARDS-003 is positioned to modulate acute systemic inflammation and prevent sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and organ damage.