UK

Babylon Health’s CEO ‘Should Spend Some Time With Elizabeth Holmes’

U.K. doctor David Watkins has been a public critic of Babylon Health and its AI technology for years, during which has received anonymous emails from Babylon employees who shared his concerns but feared to speak out publicly. After Babylon collapsed, a former employee publicly declared that the AI engine was indeed faulty. As a longtime skeptic of Babylon's claims surrounding its technology, Watkins said that Ali Parsa, the company's CEO, shouldn’t be treated any differently to Elizabeth Holmes.

By Katie Adams

Health Tech, Startups

Quanta raises $245M, prepares to study in-home use of portable dialysis device

Quanta, a company making portable dialysis systems, raised $245 million in a series D funding round. The company plans to study its device for in-home use, after it was cleared last year to be used in hospital and post-acute care settings.

By Elise Reuter

With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?

Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.

Health Tech, Startups, Telemedicine

Babylon continues buying spree with another California-based practice

Babylon Health bought two California-based medical practices as it charts a broader expansion across the U.S. But it's still facing questions about the safety of its AI chatbot in the U.K., where the company is based.

By Elise Reuter

BioPharma, Health IT, Policy

Health organizations responding to Covid-19 at risk from state-backed hackers, cybersecurity officials say

Drugmakers, medical research groups and healthcare companies and organizations are at risk of "password spraying" attacks by state-sponsored hackers, the officials said in a joint statement.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

AstraZeneca lung cancer drug, competitor to Roche, gets FDA nod

The drugmaker said Monday that the FDA had approved Imfinzi, its PD-L1 inhibitor, for first-line extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, with platinum chemotherapy. The drug creates a new competitive threat to Roche's Tecentriq, which is approved for the same disease setting.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

GSK, Immatics Biotechnologies enter $600M deal to develop T-cell therapies

The companies said Thursday that they would develop T-cell receptor therapies for cancers. Immatics, based in Germany, has several TCRs already in the clinic.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma, Policy

Report: British drugmakers worry about damage to competitiveness after possible Brexit deal

In what was reported as an "unprecedented backlash," trade groups representing U.K. drugmakers - as well as four other industries - for the first time expressed concerns about a possible Brexit deal, having previously been more concerned about a possible no-deal Brexit.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

Another myeloma drug with same target as CAR-Ts shows successful Phase II results

Without providing details, GlaxoSmithKline said its trial of BCMA-targeting belantamab mafodotin was positive. The company plans to submit for regulatory approvals later this year - potentially ahead of bluebird and Celgene's expected filing next year for the CAR-T bb2121.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

AstraZeneca immunotherapy combo flunks another lung cancer study

The company said Wednesday that the pairing of PD-L1 inhibitor Imfinzi and CTLA-4 inhibitor tremelimumab did not prolong overall survival in previously untreated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. The Phase III results are the latest in a string of failures for the combination.

By Alaric DeArment

Health Services

Maximize Revenue and Patient Care with Strategic Weight Loss Management

We will highlight Build My Health's revenue practice management tools, which could help physician practices add up to $250,000 to their practices.

By Build My Health and MedCity News

BioPharma

AstraZeneca’s immunotherapy drug scores key Phase III lung cancer win

The company said the Phase III CASPIAN study of Imfinzi in first-line, extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer was successful, but did not disclose further details. Roche's Tecentriq is already approved for that indication, which accounts for two-thirds of SCLC cases.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo’s $6.9B breast cancer drug partnership bears fruit in less than two months

The companies announced the partnership in March to develop trastuzumab deruxtecan, for which they plan to file approval later this year based on the successful Phase II study.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

GW’s cannabinoid-based Epidiolex scores another Phase III epilepsy victory

The drug showed positive results in a 210-patient study in patients experiencing treatment-resistant seizures from tuberous sclerosis complex, a rare form of epilepsy.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma

Drugmakers partner with England’s NHS in $1.3B hepatitis C push

NHS said it hopes to make England the first country to eliminate HCV. The effort will involve finding people living with the virus and providing drugs procured from AbbVie, Gilead and Merck.

By Alaric DeArment

BioPharma, Artificial Intelligence

AI drug development partnership between GlaxoSmithKline, Exscientia yields first drug candidate

The in vivo molecule was discovered under a two-year-old partnership between the two companies to discovery drugs using artificial intelligence. It will be developed for COPD.

By Alaric DeArment