The NIH and CDC granted researchers at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health $700,000 to investigate an in-the-ear stimulator as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in first responders to the attack on the World Trade Center 20 years ago. The researchers will enroll 30 World Trade Center first responders with chronic PTSD in a sham-controlled trial to test the effectiveness of a device that uses transcutaneous auricular stimulation of the vagus nerve, which has shown promise in preclinical studies.

The Tokyo University of Science (TUS) has developed a self-powered diaper biosensor that can monitor urine sugar levels, which could be a boon for both diabetic patients and their caregivers. Caregivers at nursing homes currently open patients’ diapers every few hours to check for urination, thus increasing the caregivers’ workload. The psychological impact on the patient is also increased, for example when their sleep is disturbed.

With financings falling just shy of last year, the med-tech industry has raised a total of $41.3 billion so far in 2021 through 494 financings. That is down roughly 3% from the 513 financings worth $42.46 billion by this point in 2020. Most of the money last year came through follow-on offerings and private placements, with IPOs and venture capital rounds making up only 26% of the total.

The share price of Renovorx Inc. has spiked following FDA clearance for its Renovocath delivery system. Since the company announced the clearance, its stock (NASDAQ:RNXT) has climbed by more than 13%. Last month the company completed an IPO for approximately $16.6 million, issuing shares at $9-$11.

Driven by advances in scientific understanding, the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has begun to see successes one subtype at a time. At the 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), which is currently being held in virtual format, researchers were optimistic that the same path would be possible for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).