Across the world, rates of depression have reached alarming new heights as a result of the grief, uncertainty and isolation experienced through the pandemic. Despite the high prevalence of depression, its treatment remains a hit-or-miss affair. Up to two-thirds of patients fail to respond to the first antidepressant prescribed and many of them never return to try another. Tel Aviv-based Taliaz Ltd. has developed an artificial intelligence-driven tool to help psychiatrists and other prescribers get it right the first time.
Neuroelectrics Inc. garnered $17.5 million in a series A fundraising round led by the Morningside Group of Hong Kong. The Cambridge, Mass. and Barcelona-based brain stimulation company plans to use the funds primarily to advance its pivotal trial of the Starstim system in refractory focal epilepsy and its at-home feasibility study in refractory major depressive disorder and related infrastructure, Neuroelectrics co-founder and CEO Ana Maiques told BioWorld. Supportive infrastructures for the trials include brain modeling, the platform for remote montage delivery, and clinical and regulatory resources.
Soulbrain Holdings Co. Ltd. ramped up its unusual diversification program with the acquisition of Pixcell Medical Technologies Ltd. as part of the semiconductor company's shift into health care and in vitro diagnostics. The acquisition of Pixcell follows Soulbrain’s acquisition of Ark Diagnostics Inc. in 2018 as the company looks to the bio-health care industry as its "engine for new growth."
Acutus Medical Inc. appears to have solved one of the more vexing problems in cardiology, the sheer persistence of persistent atrial fibrillation despite treatment. In a study recently published in Heart Rhythm, the Carlsbad, Calif.-based company demonstrated that 73% of patients undergoing ablation using the new pulmonary vein isolation plus core-to-boundary guided approach experienced acute termination of AF after one procedure, compared to 10% of patients undergoing ablation with the traditional posterior wall isolation approach.
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Labcorp) further consolidated its position as a leading provider of rheumatoid arthritis testing with a definitive agreement to acquire the Vectra assay from Myriad Genetics Inc. along with other assets of the Salt Lake City-based company’s autoimmune business unit in a deal valued at $150 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter of 2021.
Ceribell Inc. amassed $53 million in a series C fundraising round to broaden the footprint for its noninvasive brain monitor in U.S. hospitals and expand indications for its Rapid Response EEG. Longitude Capital and The Rise Fund led the round.
The American College of Cardiology (ACC) hopes artificial intelligence (AI) can dramatically increase adoption of its frequently ignored guidelines for cardiovascular care. In three new studies, the ACC will implement Healthreveal's AI to recommend personalized interventions with the goal of preempting adverse cardiovascular events and improving patient outcomes, while increasing physicians’ adherence to guideline-directed medical therapy.
Castle Biosciences Inc. deepened the moat around its position in melanoma diagnostics with the acquisition of Myriad Mypath LLC from Myriad Genetics Inc. The acquisition gives Castle (NASDAQ:CSTL) the Myriad Mypath Laboratory in Salt Lake City where the Mypath Melanoma 23-gene expression profile (GEP) test is owned and offered. Mypath Melanoma joins Castle's Decisiondx Diffdx-Melanoma, enabling Castle to provide comprehensive molecular testing for difficult-to-diagnose melanocytic lesions.
Depression treatment still isn’t “once and done,” but the time needed to reduce symptoms continues to drop for patients using electromagnetic stimulation. Brainsway Ltd.’s Theta Burst brings treatment times down to just three minutes with its FDA 510(k) clearance.
Onward NV secured $32 million in a new financing round led by Invest-NL and Olympic Investments. All the company’s existing investors also participated in the round, including medical technology investors LSP, Inkef Capital, Gimv, and Wellington Partners. The new funds will support Eindhoven, Netherlands-based Onward's development and commercialization of its Arc-Im and Arc-Ex spinal cord systems, designed to provide targeted spinal cord stimulation to help people with spinal cord injuries regain movement and independence.
