RECENT NEWS

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major global health problem, especially among people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers at the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Helmholtz Munich, and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU) have identified novel protein biomarkers that are associated with the development of CHD in people with and without diabetes.

An international consortium of researchers specialising in human challenge studies is embarking on a US$57 million project to develop advanced, virus-blocking coronavirus vaccines that could stop SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses from infecting people.

A new study shows Lunit’s AI-powered cancer diagnostic solutions SCOPE HER2 and SCOPE ER/PR significantly improve pathologist concordance and accuracy, paving the way for improved breast cancer molecular subtype analysis for informed decision-making and precision patient care.

End-to-end digital pathology solution provider OptraSCAN has announced the introduction of a combined image management and image storage solution, to enable and simplify the digital transformation of pathology laboratories. The OptraSCAN IMAGEPath image management system is an open platform that can easily integrate with scanners from multiple manufacturers and over 20 different image formats, in addition to being compatible with external third-party AI applications for pathology.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Hartree Centre and the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust have announced a strategic partnership to advance artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare across the trust to optimise patient outcomes.

Roche has this week introduced navify Analytics, a new suite of cloud-based solutions that provide actionable insights to optimise operational and financial outcomes in laboratories and point-of-care (POC) settings.

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics and Fujirebio have announced an expansion of their partnership focused on development, manufacturing and clinical adoption of neurodegenerative disease assays.

Oxford Nanopore Technologies and AI-driven genomic decision support software company SeqOne have announced a new partnership, which will enable end-to-end analytical workflows from sample to report, focusing on rare diseases in the short-term and oncology in the longer-term.

Digital clinical diagnostics and diabetes home-testing provider Digostics has revealed the results from its ground-breaking gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remote screening collaboration with University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), a partnership that saw expectant mothers in Hampshire become the first globally to access an oral-glucose tolerance test (OGTT) without needing to attend clinic.

Cepheid has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for Xpert Xpress GBS, a dual-target molecular diagnostic test for the qualitative intrapartum detection of group B Streptococcus (GBS). This next-generation test incorporates new dual targets in highly-conserved regions of the GBS genome to improve sensitivity and bacterial strain coverage.

Pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca has outlined plans to invest £650 million in the UK – helping boost the UK’s world leading life sciences sector and grow the economy. This significant investment will enhance public health protection and pandemic preparedness.

Alpha Laboratories has launched the Picus 2, the latest advancement in electronic pipetting technology from Sartorius. Designed to elevate the pipetting experience, Picus 2 offers unparalleled precision, speed, and connectivity, setting a new standard for laboratory pipettes.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget has given the NHS a funding boost as part of an investment package for better public services, labelled a ‘Budget for Long Term Growth’ by the Treasury.

The first prototype that uses artificial intelligence for colorectal diagnosis has been developed by Portuguese researchers from the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC), in Porto, and the IMP Diagnostics Molecular & Anatomic Pathology laboratory.

Laboratory supplier Medical Wire & Equipment (MWE) received a returned product recently – nothing unusual there you might think, except this product was almost 40 years old!

AI-powered cancer diagnostics firm Ibex Medical Analytics, and image sharing platform for pathology PathPresenter, have announced a partnership to advance the adoption of AI-powered digital pathology. The two companies will work together to support joint customers via an AI-powered digital pathology solution for laboratories, hospitals and health systems worldwide.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to distribute its DxFLEX Clinical Flow Cytometer in the United States. Launched regionally in 2020, this advancement brings the popular benchtop IVD flow cytometry system to American laboratories while expanding testing capabilities.

A recent survey shows concern from US laboratories about patient access to laboratory developed tests (LDTs) if the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) goes ahead with its proposal to regulate such tests. Many have said they would have to react to new regulation by withdrawing tests from the marketplace.

John Pye Auctions, established in 1968, is the UK’s leading commercial auction house. Throughout 2024, it is hosting weekly online auction sales featuring a variety of brand-name, high-quality medical and laboratory machinery, as well as consumables. These items cover the areas of manufacturing, testing, research, packing, and storage.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has welcomed the recent publication of the Government’s Rare Disease Action Plan 2024, which highlights the work that has so far been done by the NIHR, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and others over the last year to better address the needs of people with rare diseases.