Merck KGaA is partnering with Neuroloop GmbH, a subsidiary of B. Braun SE, to develop a neurostimulator device that can complement existing drug therapies for people with chronic inflammatory diseases. The collaboration aims to adapt Neuroloop’s neurostimulation platform to enable targeted treatment of chronic inflammatory ailments. The new bioelectronics program intends to open up new technologies and markets that are close to Merck’s electronics and health care business sectors. Read More
Neuropace Inc. nabbed $9 million in the form of a five-year NIH grant as part of the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. The grant will support the study of the Mountain View, Calif.-based company’s Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) system in patients with Lennox-Gastuat syndrome (LGS), a debilitating form of epilepsy. Read More
The Supreme Court of the U.S. delivered its decision in the case of Minerva v. Hologic, a case that tested the boundaries of the doctrine of assignor estoppel, which bars a patent's seller (assignor) from attacking the patent's validity in subsequent patent infringement litigation. Read More
Even as World Trade Organization (WTO) members continue to negotiate a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for COVID-19-related medical products, the organization agreed June 29 to grant a third extension to the transition period that exempts least developed countries from some of the IP provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). Read More
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria signed a cooperation and financing agreement to implement 10 initiatives in 2021 through 2023 aimed at addressing persistent challenges impeding global progress against the three diseases and protecting hard-won gains from new pandemics like COVID-19. Read More
As the first flagship action of Europe’s plan to beat cancer, the European Commission launched its Cancer Knowledge Center June 30. The new online platform will map the latest evidence on cancer, provide health care guidelines and quality assurance schemes, and monitor and project trends in cancer incidence and mortality across the EU, where cancer is the No. 1 killer for people younger than 65. Read More
New hires and promotions in the med-tech industry, including: Bioskryb, Caredx, Evolus, Hyperfine, Medifirst, N2 Biomedical, Privia, Stilla Technologies. Read More
Med-tech firms raising money in public or private financings, including: Alpha Teknova, Check-Cap, Cvrx, Echonous, Novalis Biotech, Social Capital Suvretta, Tendo Systems. Read More
Clinical updates, including trial initiations, enrollment status and data readouts and publications: Accelerate Diagnostics, Histogen, Imaginab, Theranica. Read More
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Abbott, Amoy Diagnostics, Cibiltech, Interventional Systems, Neuroelectrics, Riken Genesis, Viz.ai. Read More
