With one-quarter of China’s population affected by rolling shutdowns, manufacturers worldwide are preparing for a summer of supply chain nightmares. Shanghai and its normally bustling port have been closed now for a month and the nation’s COVID-Zero policy is now threatening Beijing. So far, though, the med-tech industry remains minimally affected, but the coming months may tell a different story.
Investors showed some love to French remote patient monitoring and cardiac data startup Implicity SAS, contributing $23 million to the company’s series A financing round. New investors Crédit Mutuel Innovation and Bpifrance led the round with support from BNP Paribas Development and returning seed investors Serena, Xange and Karista.
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) updated its guidelines to recommend use of Biotheranostics Inc.’ Breast Cancer Index (BCI) molecular gene-expression test to aid decisions on extended endocrine therapy in certain patients with the most common type of breast cancer.
Pacific Biosciences of California Inc.’s technology could rapidly increase the number of rare diseases—and their causes—identified by sequencing. Researchers at Children’s Mercy Research Institute in Kansas City found four times as many rare coding structural variants using Pacbio’s highly accurate long reads (Hifi) sequencing than standard sequencing detected. Results of the study were published in Genetics in Medicine.
With an oversubscribed $30 million series B in hand, Carlsmed Inc. is in a good posture to take the next steps in its plan to make its personalized spinal implants central to ending frequent revisions in spine surgery. The company’s Aprevo devices, which are 3D printed for each patient, received FDA breakthrough device designation and 510(k) clearance in late 2020.
With virtually bent knees and proper posture, Soter Analytics Pty Ltd. raised $12 million in a series A funding round to build on its artificial intelligence (AI)-based ergonomic wearables line that helps workers minimize injuries on the job. The technology tracks all significant shoulder and back movements and provides personalized real-time feedback before improper lifts or twists land users on their backs or in rehab.
Health care-focused private equity firm Archimed Group agreed to acquire Natus Medical Inc. for $33.50 per share, a nearly 29% premium over the April 14 closing share price for the provider of medical devices to diagnose and treat neurological and sensory disorders. The deal will take Natus (NASDAQ:NTUS) private after more than 20 years as a publicly traded company.
Lyra Therapeutics Inc.’s $100.5 million private placement has investors moving to the tune of the ear, nose and throat specialty therapeutics company. Lyra’s stock (NASDAQ:LYRA) jumped from early April trading in the $4.20 range to $6.02 with the announcement April 8 of the pending placement. The stock shot up again on April 13 when the placement finalized and surged in after-hours trading, ultimately spiking over $7 shortly after the opening bell April 14.
Akili Interactive Labs Inc. has made grabbing and holding attention a distinguishing feature of its digital therapeutics and overall company strategy. Last month, it made news with its hire of gaming industry veteran Jon David as its chief product officer. Now, a study indicates a new product in development may help people with depression extend their attention span and possibly improve cognition, two common symptoms associated with the mood disorder that are not treated by most medications.
Boston Scientific Corp.’s image-guided programming software, Vercise Neural Navigator with Stimview XT, got the green light from the FDA for use with the company’s deep brain stimulation (DBS) portfolio in patients with essential tremor or Parkinson’s disease. The software, developed in a collaboration with Brainlab AG, provides more sophisticated image-guided programming tools for personalization of the stimulation therapy, halving the time needed for adjustments and increasing precision.
