Dr. Anthony Fauci said this morning that hundreds of millions of doses of a vaccine for COVID-19 could be ready by January. In an interview on the Today Show, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said that a vaccine candidate is in the first phase of a clinical trial. If […]
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Are coronavirus antibody tests all they’re cracked up to be?
With pressure mounting to get Americans back to work, the new focus is on tests that purport to indicate antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2. These serological tests are supposed measure the amount of antibodies or proteins present in the blood when the body is responding to a specific infection, like COVID-19. Many companies in China have […]
Stryker gains emergency nod for respirator decontamination
The FDA has granted Stryker (NYSE:SYK) an emergency use authorization to decontaminate used N95 respirators using the company’s Sterizone VP4 sterilizer during the coronavirus outbreak. The Sterizone VP4 uses vaporized hydrogen peroxide to sterilize up to 20 of the masks in one cycle, according to the FDA. Stryker’s sterilizer is the fourth that uses vaporized hydrogen […]
NIH research backs decontamination methods for N95 masks
National Institutes of Health scientists have determined that N95 respirators can be decontaminated effectively and maintain functional integrity for up to three uses — getting mask supplies to last longer amid the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement released today, NIH announced the validation of four decontamination methods after a study of the decontamination of small […]
NIH puts up $20m for new medtech hubs
The National Institutes of Health said today that it awarded $20 million to fund five medtech hubs to speed the translation of biomedical developments into commercially viable products. The new centers join the Research Evaluation & Commercialization Hubs, which aim to expand a national network of proof-of-concept centers that links 34 academic institutions, according to […]
Imbed Biosciences wins $1.5m NIH grant
Imbed Biosciences said last week that it received a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a bioresorbable, antibacterial wound dressing. Fitchburg, Wis.-based Imbed said the two-year Small Business Innovation Research grant, from the NIH’s National Institute for Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases, is for R&D on a bioresorbable wound […]
Apple announces medical studies using new Research app
Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) said yesterday that it is launching medical studies into women’s health, hearing, and heart function and movement with its new Research app. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said the app will show how medical research is conducted and allow participants to contribute to potential medical discoveries. The Research app will be available as a free […]
NeuroPace epilepsy tech to be studied for binge eating
NeuroPace said today that its epilepsy neuromodulation technology will be studied for its efficacy in treating binge-eating disorder in certain patients. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company’s RNS system is a closed-loop technology approved to treat adults with medically refractory focal onset epilepsy. The clinical trial will examine whether neuromodulation could help patients with a body […]
Louisiana prisoners to get non-FDA-approved BioCorRx implant
BioCorRx (OTC:BICX) has begun a controversial pilot program to provide soon-to-be-released Louisiana prison inmates an opioid addiction treatment implant that has not been approved by the FDA. The pilot, announced last week, has drawn praise from corrections officials and concern from prisoner advocates and some medical professionals, according to a report in The Advocate, a Baton Rouge, La. newspaper. Ten […]
Study shows catheter ablation for Afib significantly boosts quality of life
Patients who had catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (Afib) had fewer symptoms, a significant long-term improvement in quality of life and fewer recurrences and hospitalizations than those who received drug therapy alone, according to a government-funded study. The same study showed that catheter ablation appeared no more effective than drugs in preventing strokes, deaths, and […]
Study: Researchers develop ingestible capsule for insulin delivery
A team of researchers from MIT developed an ingestible, blueberry-sized capsule that can deliver insulin orally. In animal models, the capsule lowered blood sugar levels and performed comparably with the traditional route of insulin delivery – injections. The capsule features a small needle made of freeze-dried, compressed insulin. The needle is attached to a compressed spring, which […]