Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most dangerous comorbidities for COVID-19 patients – as well as a major cause of death that predates the current pandemic. Pulmonx Corp. has the first minimally invasive valve to treat severe emphysema, which is a form of COPD that accounts for about one-quarter of the patients. Read More

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Varian Medical Systems Inc. has joined the ranks of other companies in withdrawing its guidance even as at least one analyst saw positive news for the second quarter. For her part, BTIG’s Marie Thibault noted that the company missed on Americas oncology gross order metric, while falling short on consensus non-GAAP earnings per share (EPS) by five cents. Read More

PARIS – In the wake of the news that Swiss group Roche Holding AG received an emergency use authorization from the U.S. FDA as well as a CE-IVD certification for the Elecsys Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serology test to detect antibodies in people previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2 that causes the COVID-19 disease, the company unveiled its plans for the launch of the product. Read More

Zoll Medical Corp., of Chelmsford, Mass., received CE mark approval to market its second-generation Supersaturated Oxygen (SSO₂) Therapy in Europe and other countries that accept CE mark. The therapy, which delivers hyperbaric levels of oxygen to the ischemic heart muscle immediately following percutaneous coronary intervention, has been shown to significantly reduce damage to the heart muscle after an acute myocardial infarction. Read More

BOGOTA, Colombia – As it works to more efficiently fight COVID-19, Chile is developing new regulations to support and boost telemedicine with an eye on the current outbreak but also on improving the provision of health care in the country in the long term. Patients with chronic conditions, who are at a greater risk from COVID-19, are being prioritized as the focus for telemedicine progresses. Read More

Even as the world grapples with COVID-19, researchers and public health officials are trying to apply its lessons to future outbreaks. In our series “The next pandemic,” BioWorld explores the strategies and technologies that could improve the fight against future outbreaks, from robust surveillance to rapid vaccines. Read More

New hires and promotions in the med-tech industry, including: Icon, Orasure Technologies. Read More

Med-tech firms raising money in public or private financings, including: Defymed, Embody, Pulmonx. Read More

Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Castle Biosciences. Read More

Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Adaptive Biotechnologies, Alung Technologies, Applied DNA Sciences, Avidium Labs, Bayer, Ben-Gurion University, Biocardia, Biocat, Caredx, Cycle Pharmaceuticals, Invicro, Labcorp, Launchpad Medical, Medherant, Microsoft, Neogenomics, Nxt Group, Oberland Capital Management, Osang Healthcare, Proteus Digital Health, Resmed, Safeguard Medical, Sg Blocks, Spartan Bioscience, Stoltz One, Tangen Biosciences, Thinklabs, Water-Jel Technologies, Zoom+Care. Read More

Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Bio-Rad, Euroimmun, Lifesignals, Nuvasive, Vitalconnect. Read More

The latest global regulatory news, changes and updates affecting medical devices and technologies, including: Advamed. Read More

Keeping you up to date on recent developments in oncology, including: Infectious disease diagnoses often foreshadow cancer diagnoses; Polymerase k and drug resistance; Microcytosis link to cancer confirmed; Researchers describe new triple threat to cancer. Read More