As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to roll out, momentum builds with strong phase III data for what could become the fourth and fifth walls of defense in the U.S. With three vaccines already authorized, research reported in March offers hope for a second adenovirus vector vaccine candidate with Astrazeneca plc’s AZD-1222, as well as for the first protein subunit vaccine option with Novavax Inc.’s NVX-CoV2373.

Invitae Corp. has inked a definitive agreement to acquire Genosity Inc., a genomics company with a technology platform for next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays, for approximately $200 million in cash and stock. Separately, the medical genetic testing company reported a $1.15 billion investment, led by Softbank Group subsidiary SB Management, to support ongoing growth initiatives. San Francisco-based Invitae expects the Genosity platform to accelerate the development and launch of its oncology products, including three tests that won FDA breakthrough device designation.

TORONTO – Exact Imaging Inc. has secured C$5.1 million (US$4 million) from the Business Development Bank of Canada and federal Export Development Canada to drive adoption of its Exactvu micro-imaging platform for real-time imaging of the prostate. Company CEO Randy Aucoin said it’s been a slow process getting street cred for his prostate imager, investing “tens of millions of dollars” in a direct sales force that eventually installed 100 systems in the U.S., Europe and Canada.

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., in part because many cases aren’t diagnosed until they are advanced. Bluestar Genomics Inc. wants to change that with its epigenomics technology which can detect early pancreatic cancer from a standard blood draw by analyzing cell-free DNA in plasma. Now, the FDA has provided a bump, granting breakthrough device designation to Bluestar’s noninvasive pancreatic cancer detection test in patients with new-onset diabetes. According to the San Diego-based startup, of an estimated 60,000 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the U.S., nearly a fourth are found to have new-onset diabetes prior to receiving their cancer diagnosis.

As COVID-19 vaccinations continue to roll out, momentum builds with strong phase III data for what could become the fourth and fifth walls of defense in the U.S.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking to block Illumina Inc.’s $7.1 billion purchase of Grail Inc., claiming the deal will “diminish innovation in the U.S. market” for multicancer early detection (MCED) tests, which could be used to flag dozens of tumor types when they are still treatable. Illumina has vowed to “pursue all legal options” to complete its acquisition of Grail, arguing that it does not compete with Grail and is committed to providing “unfettered access” to its NGS technology.

PARIS – Barely one year after its formation, startup company Quantiq SAS has just closed an $825,000 seed round, to develop its contactless medical diagnostics technology. French business angels from the medical, artificial intelligence and fintech worlds participated in this initial fundraising.

PERTH, Australia – Ferronova Ltd. has developed an injectable magnetic and fluorescent tracer that can map the spread of cancer in the lymph nodes more accurately for improving the staging of complex cancers. The polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles show more detailed assessment of sentinel lymph nodes and detect micro-metastasis and isolated tumor cells that would otherwise not be detected.

Teleradiology company Nines Inc. won 510(k) clearance from the FDA for Ninesmeasure, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool for measuring lung nodules. The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company says the new tool can help speed the diagnosis of certain respiratory diseases, resulting in better patient outcomes.