CORONAVIRUS NEWS

Roche has launched the new Elecsys Anti-HEV IgM and Elecsys Anti-HEV IgG immunoassays for the detection of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections in countries accepting the CE mark.

Molecular diagnostics group Yourgene Health (part of the Novacyt group of companies) and PacBio, a developer of high-quality, highly accurate sequencing solutions, have announced a collaboration to optimise size selection for long-read sequencing workflows. PacBio has qualified Yourgene’s LightBench instrument for size selection of long DNA fragments, enabling high yields for HiFi sequencing data.

The British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) has appointed Angela Douglas MBE as President of the Association. She will take up the office on 1 December 2023.

Roche has announced that its Elecsys Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) test for multiple sclerosis (MS) received Breakthrough Device designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Elecsys NfL test is intended to be used as an aid in detection of disease activity in with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), providing critical insights for disease management.

The NHS has met the government’s target for 90% of trusts adopting electronic patient records in hospitals ahead of schedule.

Menarini Diagnostics has launched MileWATCH, a unique tracking tool that provides traceability from the operating theatre and throughout the laboratory, establishing a unique chain of custody for each specimen.

A new report published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the University of Bristol has found that the NHS England (NHSE) emergency department opt-out testing programme for bloodborne viruses has helped to diagnose thousands of people with serious infections.

Germany-based diagnostic company BIOTYPE has launched a major upgrade of its MODAPLEX platform. The benchtop diagnostic platform for the fully integrated analysis of molecular biomarker signatures allows laboratories in research and clinical settings to perform highly specialised molecular analyses quickly and easily in an automated manner.

Glox Therapeutics, a company pioneering the development of precision antibiotic therapies based on naturally occurring bacteriocins, has raised £4.3 million in seed funding to develop effective targeted therapeutics against antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

The King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSH&RC), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has successfully administered an advanced gene therapy for eight patients suffering from the genetic bleeding disorder haemophilia.

Oxford Nanopore sequencing technology will be used in a pioneering new collaboration with Genomics England, to sequence as many as 7,500 samples from participants of the landmark 100,000 Genomes Project with a range of genetic or suspected genetic disorders.

Finnish company Medix Biochemica, which supplies raw materials to the in vitro diagnostics industry has acquired the US-based ViroStat, a global leader in infectious disease antibodies and antigens. The acquisition significantly expands Medix Biochemica’s portfolio of IVD raw materials, brings complementary scientific capabilities and further strengthens its local presence in the USA.

INTEGRA Biosciences is pleased to announce the release of a new eBook providing a complete guide to pipetting.

A new five-year project has been launched with the aim of developing a blood test for Alzheimer’s disease for the NHS.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has announced a collaboration agreement with Pillar Biosciences, which develops and distributes IVD and retrospective use (RUO) NGS testing solutions based on its proprietary SLIMamp technology, to help localise patient testing and optimise the selection of precision therapies for cancer patients.

The Institute for Biomedical Science (IBMS) has launched the IBMS Awards 2024 scheme, described as ‘the most prestigious accolades for the biomedical science profession’.

Thousands of patients with heart failure will now be treated from home as the NHS expands its world-leading virtual wards scheme. The expansion means people can remain active and maintain their independence in their own home, while undergoing medical treatment.

Imaging firm Evident has launched the new FLUOVIEW FV4000 confocal laser scanning microscope and FV4000MPE multiphoton laser scanning microscope, designed to redefine scientific imaging by delivering higher precision, reduced noise and improved sensitivity, setting a new standard for image acquisition and data reliability.

Proscia, a leading provider of digital and computational pathology solutions, has earned ISO 27001 certification. This certification demonstrates the company’s compliance with one of the best-known information security management standards, giving customers added confidence in its products.

The government will meet its target to open 160 community diagnostic centres a year early, the Health and Social Care Secretary has announced. All 160 centres will be open by March 2024, a year ahead of the original March 2025 target - speeding up access to diagnostic tests and checks.