The rising tide of digital therapeutics approved and funded in the U.S. raised the outlook for Mahana Therapeutics Inc. and Freespira Inc. as both companies announced good news. Mahana's prescription digital therapeutic for gastrointestinal conditions, Parallel, received premarket authorization from the U.S. FDA and Freespira, formerly Palo Alto Health Sciences Inc., raised $10 million for its digital therapeutic for panic attacks, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sonivie Ltd. has won breakthrough device designation from the U.S. FDA for the Therapeutic Intra-Vascular Ultrasound (TIVUS) system for renal artery denervation (RDN) to treat resistant hypertension. At the same time, the company revealed that it has bought the remaining intellectual property and other assets related to the use of the TIVUS System from Cardiosonic Inc.

A percutaneous hydrogel treatment for chronic low back pain has won a U.S. FDA breakthrough device designation. The status will enhance interactions between Baltimore, Md.-based Regeltec Inc. and the agency during regulatory review of the Hydrafil implant, accelerating the path to clinical trials and commercialization.

With the FDA perhaps days away from granting emergency use authorization (EUA) for the first U.S. COVID-19 vaccine, the Trump administration took a bow Dec. 8 at a summit called to celebrate what’s been accomplished and to explain what lies ahead in getting vaccines distributed throughout the country.

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.

As expected, the FDA cleared Biocryst Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s oral, once-daily Orladeyo (berotralstat, formerly known as BCX-7353) for the prevention of hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks. Last month, Biocryst, as part of its earnings report, said approvals of the compound, a kallikrein inhibitor evaluated by U.S. regulators without an advisory committee meeting, could come in Japan this month and in the EU by the first half of next year.

For the 795,000 Americans who suffer a stroke each year, time is brain. The U.S. FDA granted 510(k) clearance to a solution the developer says could cut time-to-treatment in stroke by an hour, preserving 3.6 years of healthy life. Nico.lab’s artificial intelligence-based CT scan analyzer, Strokeviewer LVO, uses an algorithm that enables faster triaging of stroke patients and enables physicians to see the location of occlusions in minutes.