Mindup, an Israeli digital health incubator, added Phenofast Ltd. to its portfolio this week, banking on the startup’s ability to resolve a critical, ongoing problem for hospitals and community physicians treating patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). Phenofast hopes to bring clarity to antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and relief to patients in record time.

Startup Aplife Biotech is tapping into the rapidly growing market for biosensors that can expand the capacity of hand-held devices to screen for thousands of pathologies from a single drop of blood. Using technology developed in Argentina to print DNA structures on microchips, the company’s goal is to screen as many as 20 million probes with the potential to convert molecular interactions into electrical signals, opening a path for med-tech developers and manufacturers to explore new solutions for personalized health care.

Emitbio Inc., a life science company developing light-based therapies, is seeking emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. FDA for its investigational device to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 infection at home. The portable, hand-held device works by directing precise wavelengths of visible light to the back of the throat and surrounding tissues. It is not yet available for sale in the U.S.

Opticyte Inc., a medical device startup, is planning the first clinical trial of its cellular oxygen monitor, a new device that could help emergency physicians diagnose sepsis faster and prevent organ failure. The prospective, observational trial is set to launch in mid-2021.

Cognitoss, a resorbable bone graft in development by Locate Bio Ltd., received U.S. FDA breakthrough device designation for treating chronic osteomyelitis, a progressive, inflammatory bone infection. The graft uses a new class of composite collagen product combined with a dual-phasic release of antibiotics to prevent reinfection.

NEW DELHI – India, which has the highest incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the world and the second highest of COVID-19, is looking to artificial intelligence (AI) to help detect and classify cases of both and lower the cost of diagnosis.

Perkinelmer Inc. is aiming to boost its infectious disease testing footprint with the acquisition of Oxford Immunotec Global plc for $591 million in cash. The purchase, reported Thursday, will allow Perkinelmer to expand its current offerings with solutions for tuberculosis (TB) detection. Perkinelmer shares (NYSE:PKI) hit a high of $162.16 Thursday morning, before closing at $160.53 – up 2.66% from the Wednesday’s close of $156.37.

HONG KONG – A research team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a fully automated, low-cost and rapid microrobotic diagnostic system that can be used with multiple pathogens, including COVID-19. The system works by integrating fluorescent microrobots with an external magnetic actuation system to detect pathogens in patient samples.

An international study led by Nanyang Technological University in Singapore has designed and synthesized broad-spectrum antimicrobial polymers (AMPs) and demonstrated the safety and efficacy of two such agents against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in mouse models of sepsis.

Hologic Inc. has gained approval from the U.S. FDA to add a diagnostic claim to its HIV type 1 viral load monitoring assay. This makes the Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx assay the first dual-claim assay in the U.S., allowing both viral load monitoring and diagnosis. For laboratories that use the assay, the dual claim allows for consolidated testing on one automated platform, adding to efficiency.