SANTA CLARA, Calif. – While many of the presentations at the Precision Medicine World Conference revolved around clinical studies and their promise for future breakthroughs in health care, a continuous stream of companies made their pitches for translating these studies into actual products that can benefit patients now.

PARIS – EY SAS has published the results of the first edition of a barometer dedicated to the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in French public hospitals. The health care sector, which is undergoing wholesale change in France, is suffering tight economic constraints and faces ever-increasing expectations from patients. “The development of [AI] in France is a priority. It's a matter of gauging it,” Loïc Chabanier, an EY partner responsible for health care, told BioWorld.

Unlike with other kinds of cancer, there’s no opportunity for a biopsy ahead of surgery for a suspected brain tumor. To help matters, researchers have developed a novel approach that combines a new, commercially available imaging technology – stimulated Raman histology (SRH) – with an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to offer a diagnosis of brain tumors in just a couple of minutes. They published the results of a study in the Jan. 6, 2020, issue of Nature Medicine that determined their approach was noninferior to standard pathologist interpretation of histologic images.

LONDON – Oviva AG has raised US$21 million in a series B funding to further advance commercialization of its digital diabetes treatment program across Europe.

SAN FRANCISCO – Insulet Corp. aims to get an FDA approval this year and launch its first interoperable device, the cord-free, wearable insulin device Omnipod Horizon. It is designed to be compatible with the Dexcom G6 and is the result of a partnership between the two companies. In combination, the devices will operate as a closed loop system to automatically adjust insulin dosage over time in response to blood glucose levels.

Irvine, Calif.-based Masimo Corp. has agreed to buy the connected care assets of Nanthealth Inc., of Culver City, Calif., for a $47.25 million up-front cash payment. In addition, Masimo provided estimates for its full-year 2020 financial guidance, saying product revenue will increase to $1.035 billion, which reflects reported growth of 10.6% to 10.9%. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of the year, subject to customary closing conditions. In addition, Masimo expects to fund the acquisition with existing cash on hand.

SAN FRANCISCO – Dexcom Inc. is working hard to take its business to the next level. Wall Street has been rewarding it heavily, doubling its market cap to about $21 billion since the end of 2018. But investors pulled back a tad on the company’s presentation at the J.P. Morgan (JPM) Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, sending shares down about 4% despite beating analyst expectations.

Med-tech companies brought in more money than each of the last two years in every type of financing, aside from private placements, with about 11% of the funds flowing into digital health companies. In total, the industry raised $40.67 billion, an increase of 98% over 2018, which logged $20.6 billion and was more in line with the $19.4 billion raised in 2017.