COVID-19 has disrupted science in the way it has disrupted everything else. In the short term, universities have largely closed shop as a way to maximize social distancing, and lots of science – or at least, lots of bench work – is not getting done.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Becton Dickinson, Beroni Group, Biogx, Clinical Laserthermia Systems, Leica Biosystems.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has been managed with widely varying degrees of success around the world. Artificial intelligence (AI), which can help to power all sorts of efforts, has been enlisted thus far in limited ways. But researchers at a virtual conference held on April 1 by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence explored some of the ongoing and potential applications of AI to systematize efforts to fight COVID-19.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Allergan, Braintale, Outset Medical, Orthopediatrics, Royal Philips, Sectra, Tissium, Won Tech.
An artificial intelligence-based system can accurately detect COVID-19 using thoracic CT scans in patients with respiratory symptoms, according to a preprint study published on arXiv.org. The system can also help monitor patients with the disease. Other teams have employed AI to speed diagnosis and develop clarity on the signature appearance of the disease in the lungs of symptomatic patients.
It has been predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic would cause business disruption. Now, it has claimed a casualty with Second Sight Medical Products Inc., of Sylmar, Calif., which has been forced to wind down operations, citing the pandemic and the impact it will have on the company’s ability to secure financing. Second Sight, which makes the Argus II retinal prosthesis system, said that effective March 31, 84 of its 108 employees will be laid off.
Pear Therapeutics Inc. obtained FDA approval for Somryst, the first prescription digital therapeutic for chronic insomnia. The app provides structured cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with clinical dashboards for physicians. While CBT is the recommended first-line therapy for insomnia, the U.S. has only 500 therapists certified to provide CBT for insomnia (CBTi) for the estimated 30 million Americans who suffer from chronic difficulty going to and staying asleep.
As the cases of COVID-19 continue to mount around the world, hospitals and other providers are looking to virtual tools, apps and other products to help people check their symptoms and get advice on whether medical intervention is needed. To that end, Dublin-based Medtronic plc has launched two new tools to help clinicians assess, monitor and triage patients with respiratory symptoms and concerns about the coronavirus.
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