Keeping you up to date on recent developments in diagnostics, including: Facilitating analysis of scratch wound healing tests; Advanced imaging in children; Picturing molecular alterations.
Eko Devices Inc. said Tuesday that it is collaborating with British pharma giant Astrazeneca plc to speed the development of digital health tools to improve early detection of cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure. The partnership could lead to more personalized care for heart failure patients, improving long-term outcomes.
Medtronic plc has won U.S. FDA approval of its Interstim Micro rechargeable sacral nerve stimulator and Interstim Surescan MRI leads for the treatment of urinary and bowel dysfunctions. The new products make Medtronic the only company to offer a choice between rechargeable and recharge-free sacral neuromodulation (SNM) systems, allowing patients to align their treatment with personal lifestyle preferences.
DNA Script SAS raised a $50 million extension to its series B financing, for a total yield of $89 million. Paris-based DNA Script has earmarked the funds to advance the development of its suite of enzymatic DNA synthesis (EDS) technologies and support the commercial launch of its Syntax DNA benchtop printer.
Hologic Inc. beat expectations for the third quarter of fiscal year 2020, posting net earnings of $137.9 million, or 53 cents a share, up 46.9% from the same period a year ago. Worldwide revenue declined 3.5% to $822.9 million, due to the divestiture of Cynosure Holdings Inc., but grew 7.7% organically (8.1% in constant currency), as demand for COVID-19 tests offset a slide in other businesses.
Keeping you up to date on recent developments in diagnostics, including: Expanding sampling options for COVID-19 could increase testing; Envisia classifier improves IPF diagnosis; Structural study gives insight into plaque formation.
Liquid biopsy startup Thrive Earlier Detection Corp. has raised $257 million in a series B round led by Casdin Capital and Section 32. The funds will be used to finalize the design of its first product, Cancerseek, conduct a trial to support U.S. FDA approval and prepare for commercialization.
Diagnostics testing company Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings Inc. (Labcorp) saw its second-quarter revenue decline by 4% to $2.8 billion, but that still beat the Street consensus of $2.5 billion. Diagnostics revenue fell 3.9% year over year to $1.7 billion, but that was offset by solid demand for the company’s COVID-19 tests.
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills millions of people worldwide each year, triggered by an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes it to unexpectedly stop beating, often without warning. Health care startup Transformative AI Ltd. wants to reduce those deaths. To that end, the company has secured $1.7 million in seed funding for artificial intelligence (AI)-driven software that predicts a patient’s risk of suffering SCA based on subtle physiological changes.
Edwards Lifesciences Corp. reported better-than-expected results when it released its second quarter earnings late July 23, with revenue down 15% to $924 million, from $1.1 billion in the same period of 2019. The results beat Wall Street consensus of $797.5 million, and reflected an uptick in surgical procedures that had been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Irvine, Calif.-based company sustained a net loss of $121.9 million, or $0.20 per share, based on generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), a sharp drop from $242.3 million, or $0.38 per share, in the same quarter last year. However, adjusted earnings looked brighter at $0.34 per share.
