There is no doubt that artificial intelligence, automation and robotics are transforming today’s laboratories. At the forefront of these changes is Automata Technologies Ltd., which has developed the Linq platform to digitally and robotically connect all the components of a modern life sciences lab to create fully automated end-to-end workflows.

GE Healthcare Technologies Inc. entered into a conditional agreement to acquire the clinical AI business of Intelligent Ultrasound Group plc for £40.5 million (US$51 million). The deal is part of GE Healthcare’s effort to bolster its portfolio of artificial intelligence-enabled devices and strengthen its ultrasound business.

Loci Orthopaedics Ltd. raised €12.8 million ($14 million) in an oversubscribed series A funding round that will help bring its Indx implant system for thumb base joint arthritis to the market. “There is a major unmet clinical need in orthopedics extremities and thumb base joint arthritis is a highly and increasingly prevalent condition,” Brendan Boland, co-founder and executive chairperson of Loci, told BioWorld.

The €10.2 million (US$11 million) that Bedal International NV recently closed in a funding round is “crucial” for the company’s continued growth and development, co-CEO  Alexander Van Damme, told BioWorld. “The financing provides the necessary resources to scale up operations, enhance product development, and expand market reach, particularly in the competitive U.S. market,” he said.

Edwards Lifesciences Corp. said it has exercised its option to buy Innovalve Bio Medical Ltd., an early stage transcatheter mitral valve replacemen company, for $300 million in cash following its initial investment in 2017. Since that time, Edwards said Innovalve has demonstrated progress in its program with promising early clinical experience.

Roche Holdings AG received CE mark for its artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system, Accu-Chek Smartguide. The company said the solution addresses the unmet need around diabetes management and glycemic control as it offers critical predictions to people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Endoron Medical Ltd. raised $10 million in its series A funding round to accelerate clinical validation work on its catheter-based endostapling system, Aortoseal, which repairs abdominal aortic aneurysms. The round was led by Sofinnova Partners, with participation from the European Innovation Council Fund.

Smartcella Holding AB raised €50 million (US$54 million) in a new share issue that it will use to accelerate growth and ramp up commercialization of its endovascular Extroducer delivery device, in addition to strengthening its cell and mRNA operations. The funding is supported by existing and new investors including Astrazeneca, which committed to approximately half of the shares issued.

Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and their collaborators at The Institute of Cancer Research, London and the University of Cambridge assessed the health impact of all possible genetic changes in the tumor protection gene, BRCA1-associated protein 1 gene.

Serac Imaging Systems Ltd. is seeing encouraging results from ongoing trials at three sites, which are comparing its Seracam portable hybrid gamma-optical camera for medical imaging to standard of care nuclear medicine imaging, Mark Rosser, CEO of the company, told BioWorld.