TOP STORIES
Theranos will release a 16-page point-by-point rebuttal of The Wall Street Journal story that questioned the accuracy of its blood tests. At The Wall Street Journal’s own WSJ.DLive conference, founder Elizabeth Holmes told the crowd “a few people who want to say bad things about us.”
Ms. Holmes has complained that critics are out to get her company because it threatens the traditional lab industry.
But the company, which is highly secretive about its technology, has not announced any new policies in response to the criticism.
BioLabs Pegasus Park Cultivates Life Science Ecosystem
Gabby Everett, the site director for BioLabs Pegasus Park, offered a tour of the space and shared some examples of why early-stage life science companies should choose North Texas.
LIFE SCIENCES
Neogenomics announced it is acquiring Clarient, the cancer diagnostic testing unit of GE Healthcare. – Motley Fool
Does Roche have a Valeant problem? Its CEO says no: “Roche is focused exclusively on highly innovative, differentiated medicines. As a result, we are less exposed to price pressure as society will be willing to pay a premium for medicines that make a difference.” – Financial Times
Using Informed Awareness to Transform Care Coordination and Improve the Clinical and Patient Experience
This eBook, in collaboration with Care Logistics, details how hospitals and health systems can facilitate more effective decision-making by operationalizing elevated awareness.
Dimension made about $71.5 million on its IPO, though it was hoping for a higher per-share price (the Martin Shkreli Effect is getting the blame for the drop). – Xconomy
Gilead Sciences confirmed that it is developing an experimental Ebola drug. — Dow Jones Business News via Nasdaq
Novartis has fortified its immuno-oncology pipeline by acquiring Admune Therapeutics and licensing two other drugs. — Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Biogen is cutting 11 percent of its workforce and abandoning some research while doubling down on Alzheimer’s R&D. — FierceBiotech
A federal judge has ruled that Medtronic did not violate a patent for a surgical dilator held by NuVasive. — MassDevice
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
University of Washington Medicine has received a $10 million grant to fund research into regenerating heart cells after a heart attack. The new cells would be injected into the heart wall to prevent heart attacks from progressing to heart failure. “Basically, we think we have a way we can grow people’s hearts back,” Dr. Chuck Murry, interim director of the UW Medicine Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, said. — Puget Sound Business Journal
Pediatric skilled nursing company Epic Health Services — not the EHR vendor Epic Systems — has acquired medical supplier Medco. — Houston Business Journal
Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee has thought way outside the box in hiring a new VP of brand engagement. — Milwaukee Business Journal
Acquisitions involving physician medical groups slowed in the third quarter, Irving Levin Associates reported. — Business Wire
Michigan and Illinois have jointly launched what they call the first cloud-based Medicaid management information system. — PR Newswire
TECHNOLOGY
Qualcomm Life subsidiary Capsule has received FDA 510(k) clearance for SmartLinx Vitals Plus, combining vitals monitoring and clinical documentation for low-acuity settings. — PR Newswire
PatientSafe Solutions has bought fellow care coordination software company Vree Health from Merck. — Business Wire
Wearables maker Misfit has released Shine 2, the second iteration of its fitness and sleep monitor. — Business Wire
POLITICS
Opinions vary widely on whether Medicare ACOs are working. — Kaiser Health News
Specialty pharmacies continue to get government scrutiny and pharma companies stepped up their defense. – Wall Street Journal
Hillary Clinton questions payer mergers, then Humana’s stock tumbles. — Louisville Business First
Healthcare CIOs, or at least the ones Politico interviewed, presumably at last week’s CHIME conference, think the federal government still doesn’t get health IT. — Politico
Are people giving up insurance purchased from Obamacare exchanges because of price increases, or did they simply land new jobs with health benefits? — Covering Health
Libertarian think tank National Center for Policy Analysis is — surprise — predicting doom and gloom for Medicare. — PR Newswire
The Medical Board of California has started a PR campaign to educate the public about a state physician disciplinary database. — San Francisco Business Times
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
Yes, there’s telemedicine for pets, too. Vet On Demand, a Santa Monica, California-based startup, has added a subscription plan for boarders, dog walkers and customers with multiple pets. Unlike human telemedicine, the service is available nationwide because the animals do not have to be located in the same state as the remote veterinarian. — Business Wire
