TOP STORIES
In last night’s State of the Union address, President Obama vowed that the United States will be the country to find a cure for cancer, once and for all. — The Hill
How to Optimize Your Phlebotomy Setup for Efficient Patient Care
The layout of your phlebotomy station can significantly impact efficiency. A well-thought-out setup ensures that every tool is within reach, minimizing unnecessary movement and reducing patient wait times.
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LIFE SCIENCES
Tmunity Therapeutics, which is developing the immunological potential of T cells, raised $10 million from investors including Lilly Asia Ventures.- PR Newswire
The Top-Rated Orthopedic Surgery Centers in the Houston Area and Beyond
Discover Houston's best orthopedic surgery centers and what features — from personalized treatment plans to rehabilitation services — make these top providers stand out in their industry.
Results from Roche’s TRAPID-AMI clinical study have been published online by the Annals of Emergency Medicine, confirming a novel approach for a one-hour diagnosis of heart attack in patients with acute chest pain. — Roche
Merck acquires IOmet Pharma — BioCentury
Aelix Therapeutics has raised $12.6 million to advance a therapeutic HIV candidate to clinical proof of concept. Ysios Capital, Johnson & Johnson and others backed the round. — FierceBiotech
Ophthalmic company Kodiak Sciences Inc. raises $34 million in a series B round led by an undisclosed U.S. investor. — BioCentury
A panel of medical experts recommended that the FDA approve Probuphine made by Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, which offers a new way of treating opioid addicts, using a slender rod implanted into the arm that delivers medicine for months at a time. — The New York Times
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
Anthem’s CEO on public health exchanges: “We believe we have an obligation to stick it out and work with it until we know that it won’t work. And I believe it is too early to give up on this process.” In other words: Please approve the merger! – Reuters
Anthem could potentially save $3 billion annually on drug costs with a re-pricing provision with Express Scripts Holding. — Reuters
Kindred Healthcare will pay $125 million to settle a federal suit over unnecessary therapy services to nursing-home patients, which overbilled Medicare. – The Wall Street Journal
Here are the top 10 patient safety issues for providers to consider in 2016 based on the events and trends from 2015. — Becker’s Hospital Review
TECH
Bessemer Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates and Maverick Capital Ventures have come together to launch Docent Health, which is creating software and mobile applications to help organize and monitor every aspect of an individual’s hospital visit. – Reuters
Dreamit Health has will allow its next class of startups the option to keep their equity if they do not accept cash from the program.- MobiHealthNews
New York City-based AiCure has raised $12 million for its software that can reliably track patients taking their medication and verify that they’ve done so. — MobiHealthNews
Edinburgh, Scotland, has decided to help residents who are battling addiction by developing Addiction Recovery Companion (ARC), an addiction recovery medical app that might serve as a prototype for other localities who have a similar need. — iMedicalApps
POLITICS
Sen. Bernie Sanders voted against President Obama’s nominee to lead the FDA, citing concerns over his ties to the pharmaceutical industry. — The Hill
A LITTLE EXTRA
Google confirmed that Clay Bavor, VP for product management and one of the executives behind Google Cardboard, will head up the company’s virtual reality team. — VentureBeat
Photo: Screenshot via PBS News Hour