RECENT NEWS

Omini, a medtech company developing the first multiplexed blood testing platform for personalised medicine and chronic disease management, has received approval from European authorities of a patent for its multi-gate Organic Electro-Chemical Transistor (OECT)-based detection device comprising depolarisation electrode.

The latest in the series of ‘POCT Innovators: The power to disrupt’ events, taking place in Leeds on 20 March 2024, is now open for booking.

PerkinElmer has acquired life science firm Covaris, with the merger accelerating Covaris’ growth potential and expanding PerkinElmer’s existing life sciences portfolio into the high-growth diagnostics end market. Both companies are majority owned by New Mountain Capital, and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Private healthcare group Spire Healthcare has taken a major step to enhance its pathology services by partnering with healthcare solutions provider Tribun Health. As a result of this collaboration, Spire is set to launch its new digital infrastructure and services this month, an important step towards the company’s aim to deliver high-quality care and innovation in the medical field.

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has now connected to the National Pathology Imaging Co-operative (NPIC) digital pathology picture archiving and communication system (PACS). This high-capacity pathology image repository and exchange system revolutionises how pathologists provide patient services and expert opinions, which will facilitate digital transformation across pathology for the Trust.

Life science research firm Biotium has launched its new range of Choice primary antibody conjugates. With careful curation, and extensive in-house validation, Biotium Choice monoclonal primary antibodies are designed to deliver exceptional performance for flow cytometry.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences has received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to distribute its popular AQUIOS STEM System in the United States. This innovation provides laboratories with an evolution of the gold standard for haematopoietic stem cell enumeration.

A new, world-class genomics laboratory is set to further the UK’s global genomics leadership and accelerate the discovery of new medicines and diagnostics. The functional genomics laboratory has been established through a partnership between the Medical Research Council (MRC), AstraZeneca and Milner Therapeutics Institute (MTI) - University of Cambridge.

In a momentous landmark for medical research, UK Biobank has unveiled incredible new data from whole genome sequencing of its half a million participants, work supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The data are set to play a key role in the discovery of new diagnostics, treatments, and cures. Uniquely, it is also available to approved researchers worldwide, via a protected database containing anonymised data.

European anatomic pathology information systems provider Dedalus Group and AI-powered cancer diagnostics firm Ibex Medical Analytics have announced the launch of a fully integrated end-to-end AI-powered digital pathology solution for cancer diagnosis.

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.