TORONTO – The Medipines AGM100, which was developed by Orange County, Calif.-based Medipines Corp. to detect respiratory impairment caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has been recruited in the fight against COVID-19 in Canada. Described by company CEO and coinventor Steve Lee as “the world's first noninvasive lung monitor for gas exchange measurement,” the device is undergoing advanced testing.

Airehealth Inc.'s management took a deep breath on hearing that the company's Vitalmed nebulizer received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance after waiting nearly 11 months. The portable, electronic, vibrating mesh nebulizer will connect to the Orlando, Fla.-based company's diary companion app early next year as part of an integrated suite of products designed to help individuals with chronic respiratory issues track symptoms and better manage their care.

With hospitalizations rapidly rising as the COVID-19 pandemic washes across the world in a winter wave, researchers are racing to develop treatments that protect the increasing number of ventilated patients. One option focuses on protecting muscles critical to breathing.

With the world experiencing another wave of the coronavirus pandemic that threatens to overwhelm hospitals and testing capacity, the ability to quickly diagnose COVID-19 based on alternative methodologies has become increasingly important. For patients with respiratory symptoms, review of CT scans emerged as a relatively reliable indicator of infection with SARS-CoV-2 from the first days of its emergence, but the need for more accurate readings remains.

Royal Philips NV is reporting the launch of Philips Ventilator Bipap A40 EFL, a noninvasive ventilator that aims to help patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) breathe easier. With its CE mark in hand, the company has tagged initial target markets as France, Italy and the U.K. Additional European markets are expected to come next year.

PARIS – A consortium that includes Therapanacea SAS, GE Healthcare France SAS, Orange Healthcare SA, the AP-HP group of 39 hospitals in the Paris region and the French academic society for thoracic imaging has created a database for COVID-19.

PERTH, Australia – On the heels of an AU$5 million ($US3.47 million) capital raise, digital health company Respiri Ltd. is preparing to launch its digital wheezo asthma measurement device in Australia as it transforms itself from a device manufacturer to an eHealth software as a service company (SaaS). Melbourne-based Respiri received its first batch of 500 wheezo devices in March, and the company plans to deploy them in Australia this quarter.

Minneapolis-based startup Nuvaira Inc. has received breakthrough device designation from the U.S. FDA for its Dnerva lung denervation system to reduce the risk of moderate-to-severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in patients receiving optimal care. The bronchoscopic procedure works by disrupting pulmonary nerve input to the lung, improving symptoms and stabilizing lung function.

Ventilators are not designed to sit in storage for long periods of time unused. But that’s precisely what’s often required of this medical device, which then may require substantial repair and updates before it is functional. That’s a tale that’s been told repeatedly in this pandemic.

Stem cells haven’t exactly panned out as hoped when it comes to approved therapeutics. There are only a couple that have received a nod from the FDA in very specific indications. But the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could push stem cells back into the limelight and more firmly establish them as therapeutically relevant.