RECENT NEWS

Cancer Research UK has set out how the next UK Government could dramatically improve cancer outcomes and prevent 20,000 cancer deaths a year by 2040. The charity has published ‘Longer better lives: A manifesto for cancer research and care’ an ambitious cancer plan developed with the insights of cancer patients and experts from across health, life sciences, government and academic sectors.

The annual English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance (ESPAUR) report, published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently, shows a substantial increases in rates of priority pathogens and antibiotic use during 2022 with the lifting of pandemic mitigations and the return to pre-pandemic levels of health activity.

Digital pathology firm Paige has announced it has teamed up with Nuance, a Microsoft company, to create the largest digital consultation network in pathology. This secure best-in-class platform will revolutionise collaboration among US pathologists, making consultations faster and more efficient.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has detected a single confirmed human case of influenza A(H1N2)v – a new strain of swine influenza.

Revvity has launched its new EONIS Q system, a CE-IVD declared platform enabling laboratories to adopt molecular testing for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) in newborns. The innovative, easy-to-use molecular diagnostics workflow reduces complexity and costs for laboratories looking to expand their newborn screening capabilities.

Siemens Healthineers has contracted with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, to improve antibiotic treatment for sepsis patients. Sepsis is a life-threatening blood infection and the leading cause of death in US hospitals.

Roche has launched a new immunoassay that is able to determine both the presence and quantity (qualitative and quantitative) of the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in human serum and plasma. The new Elecsys HBeAg quant immunoassay expands the company’s hepatitis diagnostics portfolio.

Universal DX has launched a strategic collaboration with Quest Diagnostics, a provider of diagnostic information services, designed to improve colorectal cancer screening in the USA. UDX has also announced the initial closing of its series B financing of approximately $70 million with investors, including Quest Diagnostics.

The Royal College of Pathlogists (RCPath) has published its Annual Report 2022-23, entitled, ‘Supported pathologists. A stronger profession. Better care.’

Women are being urged to accept NHS cervical screening invites after new figures show three in ten of those eligible for screening do not take up the potentially life-saving offer. The NHS invites women for screening every three to five years depending on their age, or more frequently if the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is detected, with the programme saving thousands of lives annually.

The new Dorset Pathology Hub opened its doors for the first time this month, following many years of planning. The University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust’s molecular pathology team were the first to move into the new building and is already reporting patient results.

Cardiff-based Verici Dx, a developer of advanced clinical diagnostics for organ transplant, has signed an exclusive global licensing agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to develop an assay for pre-transplant prognostic testing for risk of early kidney rejection.

Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) and Joint United Kingdom (UK) Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee (JPAC) have joined forces to present a collaborative webinar that will provide an overview of JPAC with a focus on safe donor selection to ensure safe transfusions.

The UK’s largest trade show for the entire laboratory industry, Lab Innovations, returned to the NEC, Birmingham, earlier this month to champion sustainability and innovation in the laboratory industry. This year’s show saw record-breaking numbers across the board, with more exhibitors, speakers and visitors than ever at Lab Innovations 2023.

Laboratory interoperability provider X-Lab has launched LabReach – a web-based, order communications portal for remote requesters. Clinics and services, with no previous access to digital test ordering, can now electronically request tests from the laboratories of their choice.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) has been granted full planning permission for its new state-of-the-art pathology building, set to be a key part of the longer-term reconfiguration of the Royal Cornwall Hospital site in Truro.

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.