TOP STORIES
Bristol-Myers Squibb has paid for the right to acquire US clinical stage immunotherapy group Promedior in a deal that could be worth up to $1.25 billion, securing access to the firm’s fibrotic disease candidates.
LIFE SCIENCES
A new tiny, wireless heart pacemaker, which is attached to the heart using a catheter inserted through a leg, showed promise in early tests and could offer an alternative to conventional, wired pacemakers.
The study included 526 patients, average age nearly 76, in the United States, Canada and Australia. During the first six months of use, the wireless pacemaker showed “good safety and reliable function,” according to lead investigator Dr. Vivek Reddy, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and colleagues.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Medtronic announced first-of-its-kind findings from two independent studies that have identified a gene associated sudden cardiac death. — Fierce Medical Devices
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
New guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology on how oncologists should use genetic tests that screen for multiple cancer types at once. The guidelines highlight some of the risks and benefits of the tests and argue for the need for better reimbursement of these tests from insurers. — Reuters
New Jersey State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) says he is dedicated to passing legislation that would require nonprofit hospitals to pay property taxes and businesses to provide paid sick days to employees. — NJ.com
TECHNOLOGY
Google’s life science division made Sanofi its latest healthcare partner to help it develop technology to support diabetics. The diabetes drug developer will collaborate with Google on smart insulin delivery devices that let a physician monitor how much insulin their patient is using, and when. Google collaborated with Novartis to develop contact lenses that can measure blood-glucose readings from tears. Earlier this month Google announced a collaboration with DexCom on a bandage-sized sensor. Sanofi, . — Bloomberg
In other diabetes-related tech news, Israel-based LabStyle Innovations, maker of a smartphone-connected glucometer called Dario, has raised $2.5 million in common stock from Canadian investor Shmuel Farhi and others, which brings the company’s total funding to at least $12.5 million. — MobiHealth News
POLITICS
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and six of her House colleagues asked NIH Director Francis Collins to determine whether things like dioxins, synthetic fibers and chlorine found in tampons and other feminine products pose any risk to women.
“Millions of American women use feminine hygiene products every day and yet there is still scant research on the potential health risks posed to women,” said the letter. “Recent independent studies by women health organizations have found chemicals of concern in tampons, pads and douches, including harmful chemicals, carcinogens and reproductive toxins.” — The Hill
LITTLE BIT EXTRA
A new material developed by Timothy Scott from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and his team can handle being pierced by a gunshot and instantly repairs the damage.
The self-healing “skin” contains a reactive liquid sandwiched between two polymer sheets. When punctured, a chemical called tributylborane in the liquid reacts with oxygen to make it harden, sealing the hole within seconds. — New Scientist
